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of the 

HOLY LATs 


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William Walter, 

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Smith 

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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



Other Works by 
The Rev. Wm. Walter Smith, M.A., M.D. 

The History and Use of the Prayer Book 

(15 lessons). Fourth Edition. For Scholars from 10 
to 16. Paper, 10 cents net. 

% 

The Making of the Bible 

(15 lessons). Third Edition. For Scholars from II to 
20. Paper, 12 cents net. 

a 

The Ageless Hymns of the Living Church 

A course of 20 lessons on the sweet stories of sacred 
songs and their singers. Designed for the adolescent 
period of from 14 to 20 years of age. Beautifully illus- 
trated. Price, 20 cents. 

a 

From the Exile to the Advent ; or The Period of Prepa- 
ration for Christ. 
A course of 15 lessons to precede the Senior Life of 
Christ. Price, 20 cents. 

a 

The Doctrines of the Church 

(40 lessons). Fifth Edition. For Scholars of the Con- 
firmation Age to Bible Class requirements. Paper 20 
cents net. 

% 

Sunday School Teaching 

A Manual for Teacher-Training. Third Edition. Sun- 
day School Pedagogy, Child-Study and School Organiza- 
tion. A Manual for Teachers and Normal Classes. 
Manilla cover, 50 cents net. Postage 5 cents. 

A Complete Text Book of Religious Education 

526 pages, illustrated, covering Aim and Plan of Teach- 
ing, Preparation of the Teacher, Psychology, Child Study, 
Progress of Mind Growth, every detail of Religious Peda- 
gogy, and the entrancing and suggestive History of Re- 
ligious Education, combining the best thought of all other 
books, carefully compiled into one. $2.00. 

Order through The Sunday School Times Company or the 
A r ew York Sunday School Commission, Inc. 



The Students' Illustrated Historical 
Geography of the Holy Land 



By 

The Rev. William Walter Smith 
A.B., A.M., M.D. 

Corresponding Secretary of the Sunday School Federation, Secretary 
of the New York Sunday School Commission, Inc., Secretary of the 
New York Sunday School Association, Member of the General Board 
of Religious Education, Member of the Executive Committee and of 
the Teacher Training Committee of the New York County Sunday 
School Association, etc. Author of " The History and Use of the Prayer 
Book," "Christian Doctrine," "The Making of The Bible," "From 
Exile to Advent," "Sunday School Teaching," "Religious Educa- 
tion," " The Ageless Hymns of the Church," etc. 



Illustrated with One Hundred Halftone Pictures of Bible 
Places and Thirty-five Maps, many of them in colors. 
WITH FOREWORD 
BY THE REV. MILTON S. LITTLEFIELD 

A Popular Reading Manual and Text Book for Teachers and 
Clergy. An Illuminating Course of Lessons for the Sunday 
School, to be used in the History and Geography Ages 



The 



philadelphia 
Sunday School Times 
1912, 



Company 



.3 



Copyright, 1912. 

BY 

The Sunday School Times Company* 



4 

£CI.A312960 



CONTENTS 

Foreword v 

Introduction vii 

Reference Books for Further Reading ....... ix 

Pictures of Places and Scenery xiii 

List of Maps in Appendix xxiii 

CHAPTER I 

The Bible World i 

CHAPTER II 

The Zones of Palestine 6 

CHAPTER III 

The Third Zone of Palestine Samaria 12 

CHAPTER IV 

The Third Zone of Palestine. Continued. Judea . 18 
CHAPTER V 

Jerusalem and its Environs 22 

CHAPTER VI 
Jerusalem, Continued. Fourth Quarter and Sur- 
rounding Roads . 28 

CHAPTER VII 
The Fourth Zone of Palestine. The Jordan Valley 

to the Ghor 33 

iii 



iv 



Contents 



CHAPTER VIII 
The Remainder of the Jordan Valley 39 

CHAPTER IX 
The Fifth Zone of Palestine. The Eastern Table 

Land 44 

CHAPTER X 

The Sixth Zone 51 

CHAPTER XI 

The Eastern Empires 54 

CHAPTER XII 
The Lands of St. Paul's Labors. — Asia Minor, The 

Mediterranean, Greece, Rome 59 



Index 



FOREWORD 



God's revelation is given to the world in three chapters. 
The first is the story of the land of Palestine. The second 
is the history of the men who made the land their home. The 
third is the message which the seers of Israel gave to the 
world. 

The background of the message of the Bible is the unfolding 
providence of God expressed in the development of the 
political and religious ideas of God's people of Israel. We 
must know how they lived and with whom, what they did 
and what they thought. The background of the history is 
the geographical setting which made the history what it was. 
The story of the Hebrews is the romance of history, and 
Israel's place in the world has been determined in no small 
degree by her place on the world. 

Geography and history are vitally connected. The study 
of the one must be interwoven with the study of the other. 
Geography, apart from history, is abstract and uninteresting. 
History, apart from geography, is meaningless. History makes 
geography vital because it reveals the hills and plains, the 
rivers and seas as the homes of men and the theatre of 
stirring events. Geography gives history vividness and 
reality. In the light of Bible geography the men of the 
Bible stand out as real men who lived in our world, who 
thought out their truth, and wrought out their destiny as all 
nations must. 

There are two forms of geographical study which apply to 
religious education, physical geography and historical geog- 
raphy. The first gives the setting and the second the se- 
quence of events. Purely descriptive geography study is in- 
cluded in historical geography. Physical geography at once 
determines and interprets much of the history and many of 
the stories of the Bible. Confined within narrow limits by 
the desert, the sea, and the mountains, Palestine seems to 
be as distinct among the lands as its people among the 

v 



vi 



Foreword 



nations. The physical characteristics of the land are both 
striking and of profound significance. It lay as a narrow- 
strip between the desert and the sea, a connecting link be- 
tween the great civilizations of the Nile and the Euphrates. 
The strip itself is broken into zones of widely different 
character. Going inland from the sea, there is first a fertile 
coast plain, which was a highway and a battleground for all 
nations. Rising from the plain, along its entire length, as 
the Catskills rise from the Hudson River Valley, and to the 
same height, extends the central range. Beyond that is the 
deep Jordan Valley. The fall from the Judean hills to the 
Dead Sea is four-fifths of a mile in a distance of twenty 
miles. Beyond the valley the eastern plateau stretches off 
to the desert. 

In all literalness the people of Israel were enisled among 
the nations. In two directions they faced the desert and the 
desert men. On the other sides the men and the life of all 
the known world lured and imperilled them. The men of 
Israel were at once in touch with all nations and yet, by 
the paradox of history, were isolated from them by their 
mountain homes and their natural bulwarks. The current 
of the world's life flowed beside them, but they were suf- 
ficiently separated to develop their own life. 

The study of the physical geography will give the back- 
ground and the setting for the history as nothing else will. 
Historical geography will locate events both in place and 
in time. To associate places with the events will invest the 
places forever with reality. To associate the events with 
places will show them in their relationship and sequence and 
will thus be an invaluable aid to the memory. The most ef- 
fective method of study is by means of such expressive ac- 
tivities as Dr. Smith has outlined in the following pages. In 
relief and in color work the four zones of Palestine, with their 
determinating influence on the history, will be made clear. By 
coloring in political boundaries the pupil will learn the rela- 
tion of the nations to each other, and the broad sweep of 
history will be made clear. By placing events in order upon 
a map, the details of history will be made clear. 

Milton S. Littlefield. 



INTRODUCTION 



For many years there has been a crying need for Bible 
Geography to make real and vivid the stirring stories of 
Sacred Writ. A number of large text-books, like the splen- 
did volumes of George Adam Smith, John B. Calkin and 
Robert Laird Stewart, have been available ; but their very 
size, thoroughness, and cost withal, have precluded their 
general study by the average lay teacher. 

There has also been demand for a satisfactory course in 
this subject in the Subject-Graded Curriculum of progressive 
Sunday-schools. Only one such course has hitherto . been 
produced, and that is too abstract and difficult, as well as 
lacking in picturesque interest. 

We have endeavored in this little hand-book to provide for 
both of these requirements at a minimum cost. We have 
compiled a reading book, presenting the Holy Land in 
travel form, not separating the mountains, rivers, etc., into 
separate skeleton chapters ; but fusing the entire physical 
picture, placing each in contiguous relations, and welding 
with the description, picture, and map of each city or site, 
the Biblical events in chronological order, associated with 
that locality, together with the Scripture reference. This has 
thus developed an excellent hand-book for the teachers and 
clergy. 

In addition, for the school classes and individual pupils, 
we have appended to each chapter questions for clinching 
the reading and directions for manual and map work, tend- 
ing to fix and test the results of study. They will be found 
invaluable for the adult reader as well. 

For those who desire to pursue deeper research, or to ac- 
quire additional material for application as teachers and 
leaders of classes, a list of useful reference books is given. 

Wm. Walter Smith. 

December, igio. 

vii 



REFERENCE BOOKS FOR FURTHER 
READING 



For the advantage of teachers and pupils, who may have 
access to books from public or private libraries, or who may 
be able to purchase such, a list of the best books bearing 
upon Biblical Geography and Customs, as well as of the best 
Maps and Materials for Self-Expression, is appended below. 
Those marked with a star (*) are particularly commendable. 



BOOKS ON BIBLICAL 
GEOGRAPHY. 

^Historical Geography of the Holy 
Land. George Adam Smith. 
$4-50. 

^Historical Geography of Bible 
Lands. John B. Calkin. $i. 

*The Land of Israel. Prof. Rob- 
ert Laird Stewart, D.D. 
$1.50. 

The Rand McNally Bible Atlas. 
Rev. J. L. Hurlbut. $2.75. 

*Bible Places. Rev. H. B. Tris- 
tram. $1.50. 

*In the Master's Country. (Pal- 
estine) Miss Martha Tarbell. 
50c. 

Sacred Geography and Antiqui- 
ties. Rev. E. P. Barrows, 
D.D. 75c 
^Peasant Life in Palestine. Rev. 

C. F. Wilson. $3.50. 
Galilee in the Time of Christ. 

Rev. Selah Merrill. $1. 
Today in Palestine. Rev. H. 
Dunning, Ph.D. $2. 
*Out of Doors in the Holy Land. 
Rev. Henry J. Van Dyke, 

D. D. $1.50. 

MAP BOOKS AND ATLASES 
WITHOUT DESCRIPTION. 

*The Commission Atlas. Paper. 

62 Maps. 15c. 
*The S. P. C. K. Atlas. 16 Maps. 

Quarto page. 25c. 
Pocket Atlas. 12 Maps. Good, 

but not up to date. sc. 



*Trat'is Handmap Books, (a) Old 
Testament. (b) Times of 
Christ. (c) Apostolic Times. 
40c. each. 

WALL AND CLASS MAPS. 

SMALL. 

*Ways, Walks, and Words of the 
Master. Meigs. Gives place 
and event. Pa. 50c. Cloth, 
$1. 

*New Testament Wall Map. 
Smith & Lamar. 25c. 

* Collotype Relief Map. Arm- 
strong. $1.25. 

*Gem Clay Relief Map. $5. 
Packing extra. 
Class Map Charts, in case. Six 
maps. $2.65. Each map 50c. 

LARGE. 

*The Kent Wall Maps, eight 
sheets, 12 maps. Set $15. 
Each $2.50 and $2. 

*The MacCalla Wall Maps. Old 
Test., New Test., Relief, 
Journeys of Christ, Jerusalem 
Picture. $2.50 each. 
A. S. S. U. Cloth Maps, un- 
mounted. Very accurate. 
Five maps. $1 each. 

LARGE RELIEF. 

^Relief Wall Map of Palestine. 
Burton. $14. Reduced from 
$50. Papier mache. 

*Palestine Exploration Fund Plas- 
ter Map. Palestine. Very 
fine. 



x Reference Books for Further Reading 



OUTLINE WALL MAPS, 
PAINTED ON BLACKBOARD 
CLOTH. 

Four Maps, Palestine, Sinai and 
Egypt, Mesopotamia, Roman 
World. $3 each. 

OUTLINE CLASS MAPS ON 
PAPER. 

THE LITTLEFIELD AND COMMISSION 
OUTLINE BIBLE MAPS. 

All 2C. each, 12c. per dozen, 75c. 

per 100, in any mixture, 
a. Palestine in the world on Mer- 

cator Projection. 

1. Period of the Patriarchs and 

Exodus. 

2. Period of the Judges, 1270- 

1030. 

3. Period of the Kingdom of 

Saul, 1030-1010. 

4. Period of David and Solomon, 

1000-937. 

5. Divided Kingdom to Revolu- 

tion of Jehu, 937-842. 

6. Early Assyrian Period, 842- 

824. 

7. Syrian Conquests in Reign of 

Hazael, 814-797. 

8. Assyrian Conquests of Syria, 

797-783. 

9. Period of Jeroboam II., 780- 

740. 

10. Conquests of Tiglath-Pileser 

HI., 733-727- 

11. Fall of Israel and Period of 

Hezekiah, 727-695. 

12. Scythian Invasion and Period 

of Josiah, 639-608. 

13. Babylonian Period, 605-586. 

14. Period of the Exile, 586-536. 

15. Persian Period, 536-332. 

L Palestine in Time of Christ. 
III. Palestine for Early Apostolic 
History. 

*THE BAILEY SERIES. 

Provides Maps and Key Maps. 
. (Map 1) The Hebrew World. 
(Key 1) Positions of Eastern 
Empires in times of Abraham, 
Moses, David. Hezekiah, Zede- 
kiah, and Nehemiah. (Key 1 
a) Eastern Empires at times 
of Alexander, Eleazar II., the 
Maccabees, Caesar, Christ, and 
Present Age. (Map 2) Con- 
tour Maps of Palestine. (Key 
2) Physical Maps of Palestine, 
with Cross Sections. (Key 
2 a Special, 2c.) The same, 



small size, for coloring. (Key 
2 a) Location of Old Testa- 
ment Places. (Key 2 b) Lo- 
cation of New Testament 
Places. (Map 3) Sinai, with 
Egypt and Palestine. (Key 
Map 3*) Routes of the Ex- 
odus and Wilderness Wan- 
derings. (Map 4) Plain of 
Esdraelon. (Key Map 4*) 
Important New and Old Tes- 
tament Places. *Note that 
Keys 3 and 4 are on one 
sheet. (Map 5) Contour Map 
of Jerusalem and Environs. 
(Key Map 5) City Walls and 
Important Old and New Tes- 
tament Sites. (New Map 5) 
The same in Half-tone. 
(Map 6) The Early Christian 
World. (Key Map 6) The 
Journeys of St. Paul. 
These maps are accurate even to 
the smallest details, on good 
paper to take ink, crayon, or 
water color. Of uniform and 
standard size. A complete 
historical series of fifteen 
maps. (Two sizes, 7 l /> x g l / 2 
inches, 2c. each; 75c. per hun- 
dred; $6.75 per thousand. 
Small size, 4^ x 6% inches, 
ic. each; 10c. per dozen; 45c. 
per hundred; $4 per thousand. 
Key Maps, 5c. each sheet, in 
any quantity retail.) 

*THE BLAKESLEE OUTLINE MAPS. 

They may be used by any school 
or class desiring the best and 
most practical outline maps 
for Sunday School use. 

Map No. 1. Large Outline Map 
of Palestine. 

Map No. 10. Large Outline Map 
of the Roman Empire. 

Size of these maps, 8 x 12^2 
inches. Printed on heavy 
bristol board for class use. 
They are to be developed by 
the class as the lessons are 
studied from week to week. 
The maps have a good sur- 
face to take ink, water color, 
or colored crayons. Either 
map, 10 cents each; 75c. per 
dozen, not prepaid. 

Map No. 1 A. 

Map No. 10 A. 

These maps are the same as those 
of same number, Nos. 1 and 
10 above, except that they are 
printed on regular thin map 
paper. These can be mounted 



Reference Books for Further Reading xi 



on cardboard or folded and 
used in the note-book. 5c. 
each; 30c. per doz. 

Map No. 2. Egypt and Palestine. 

For tracing Mary and Joseph's 
journey to Bethlehem, the 
Flight into Egypt, and the Re- 
turn to Nazareth. 

Map No. 3. Palestine. Showing 
rivers, seas and boundaries. 

Map No. 3B. Palestine. Showing 
rivers, seas, plains and moun- 
tains. 

Map No. 4. Palestine, Showing 
the Principal Roads in the 
Time of Christ. 

Map No. 5. Galilee. Showing 
mountains and plains, etc. 

Map No. 6. Central Palestine. 
Showing mountains and 
plains, etc. 

Map No. 7. Jerusalem and Vi- 
cinity. For the events in and 
around Jerusalem. 

Map No. 8. Syria and Adjacent 
Countries. 

In S. Paul's early life, conver- 
sion and first missionary jour- 
ney. 

Map No. o. Eastern Part of the 
Roman Empire. 

In S. Paul's missionary journeys 
and voyage to Rome. 

These nine maps are each 4 x z z A 
inches, and are printed on 
good paper, to take ink, 
crayon or water color. 

(Maps 2, 3, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 
any assortment, 10c. per 
dozen; 50c. per 100.) 

Colored Map of Palestine. 

Colored Map of the Roman 
Empire, (2c. each, 15c. per 
dozen.) 

OUTLINE WALL MAPS IN 
ONE COLOR. 

THE COOK SERIES. 

Journeys of the Patriarchs, Canaan 
After the Conquest, Empire 
of David and Solomon, The 
Kingdoms of Israel and Judah, 
Ancient Jerusalem, Palestine 
in Time of Christ, Journeys 
of Jesus. S. Paul's First 
Missionary Journey, Mission- 
ary Travels of the Apostle 
Paul. Size 15 x 21 and 21 x 
24 inches.. On heavy paper, 
with eyelets for hanging, 10c. 
each; the same series on good 
cloth, 20C. each. 



New Testament Palestine. Out- 
line. Cloth. No. 150. S. S. 
Com. 50c. 

Roman World. Outline. Cloth. 

No. 151. S. S. Com. 50c. 

THE HODGE SERIES. 

Wall Maps (on heavy manila pa- 
per), to be developed by the 
class. (A) Palestine, 60 x 40 
inches. (B) Old Testament 
World, 20 x 30 inches. (C) 
New Testament World, 20 x 
30 inches. 35c. each; $3 per 
doz. 

GENERAL MATERIALS FOR 
HAND WORK. 

*Sand Tables. "The Commission 
Table," the best made, tilting, 
revolving, zinc lined, 3 feet 
by 4 feet. $12. 

*Rockaway Sand. $1.25 per bar- 
rel. 

*S. S. Men Poles for Cities, etc. 

50c a box. 
*Hatlmann's Lentils, No. 458. 

30c. per box of % inch. 6 

Colors. 1,000. 

* Crayola Crayons, 12 colors with 

key. Made up Expressly for 

Littlefield Old Testament 

Maps. ioc. a box; 8 colors, 

yc. a box. 
Japanese Water Colors, on sheets, 

assorted colors. 8c. a sheet. 
*Paper Pulp, Green, Gray or 

White. 20C. a pound, dry. 

Made just for map-work. 
*Map Boards, for Paper Pulp 

Maps. Best Cypress. Every 
• School NEEDS them. 30c. 

each. 

*Heavy, 14-ply Cards for Mount- 
ing Pulp Maps. 2c. each; 
$1.25 per hundred. 

^Plasticine, colored clay, brown, 
yellow, green, gray, blue. 40c. 
per pound. 

* Lane's Liquid Inks. All colors. 

$1.25 per doz. 
*Note Books, Ruled or Unruled. 
144 pages, stiff cover. 9c. 
each. The Same, 72 pages, 
5c. each. 

Note Book Covers, University 

Adjustable. 25c. each. 
*Dennison's "024" Stickers, for 

Picture Mounting. 15c. per 

box of 1,000. 
*Sand Tables. 3x3 ft., $10; 3 

x 4 ft., $12; 3 x 4 ft. trays, 

$5-75- 



xii 



Reference Books for Further Reading 



Borders and Initial Letters for 
Coloring and Mounting Books. 
2c. a sheet. 
Binder's Boards for Note Taking. 
5c. each. Made of Swedish 
Collerboard. 
^Religious Pictures. Tissot, 
Brown, Wilde, Union Press, 



Perry, Eliott, Heidelberg, 
Sunday School Times Co. 
Card, etc., from J4c. to 5c. 
each. 

*Picture Catalog, listing 14,000 
Bible Pictures, in Order, from 
over 35 Publishers, 8c. post- 
paid. 



PICTURES OF PLACES AND SCENERY 



A number of attractive pictures have been inserted in this 
Course. Separate pictures illustrative of the Places in these 
Chapters may be found in the list below. A Special Hand- 
book, with over 14,000 listings of Religious Pictures, ar- 
ranged in Bible order, has been compiled by the Secretary 
of the New York Commission, as a manual of 122 pages, 
selling at 5 cents, postage, 3 cents extra. Every teacher 
ought to possess this Hand-book, and supply material for 
those who are able and willing to do advanced work in Illus- 
trated Essays and Notebooks, inserting pictures, maps, draw- 
ings, etc., as is becoming now the custom in progressive Bible 
Class Work. 

Picture Hand-book. Rev. Wm. Walter Smith, M. D., 5 
cents, postage, 3 cents. 

Bible Places. H. B. Tristram. (London, imp. bv Gorham, 
cloth, $1.50 net.) 

There are also fine series of Palestinian Views for the 
Stereoscope, by Underwood & Underwood, and White, at 
20 cents each, with stereoscopes extra at 90 cents and $1.00. 

All of these pictures are furnished in any assortment at 
the publishers' prices by the New York Sunday School Com- 
mission, Inc., 416 Lafayette Street, New York, the largest 
purveyors of religious pictures in the world. 

See Note as to Lantern and Reflectoscope Lectures, 
page xxi. 

Key Initials. 

Bm., B. — Geo. P. Brown, Beverley, Mass. 
Pm. ; P.— Perrv Co.. Maiden, Mass. 

W— Wilde Pictures, W. A. Wilde Co., Boston and 
Chicago. 

Co. — Cosmos Picture Co., New York. 
Cdr. — Card Series, Sunday School Commission. 
H. — Heidelberg Co., Philadelphia, Pa. 
U, P.— Union Press, Philadelphia, Pa. 
T. — Tissot Co., S. S. Commission. 
S. S. T. — The Sunday School Times Co., Philadelphia, Pa. 
Scu. Smu.^-Soule Co., Boston, Mass. 
U. & U. — Underwood & Underwood, New York, N. Y. 
A. A. C— Detroit Photochrome Co., New York, N. Y. 

xiii 



xiv 



Pictiires of Places and Scenery 



The prices range thus : 

Half-cent Pictures, Elliot, Brown, Perry. 
Penny Pictures, Perry, Brown, Wilde, Union Press, 
Heidelberg, Tissot, The Sunday School Times. 
Two-cent Pictures, Cosmos, Card. 
Five-cent Pictures, Perry, Brown, Cosmos. 
Seventeen-cent Pictures, Underwood & Underwood. 
Twenty-cent Pictures, Soule Co., Scu. 
Twenty-five-cent Pictures, Soule Co., Smu. 
Thirty-five-cent Pictures, Detroit Co. 



LIST OF PICTURES. 



PALESTINE. 
Palestine, Relief Map of. U. & 
U. Ster. Ch. 7. 

ANTIOCH. 
Antioch, General View. S. S. T. 
100. 

ARABAH. 
Arabah, The Region of. S. S. T. 
202. 

ATHENS. 
Athens, Interior View Theatre of 

Bacchus. W. 458. 
Athens, the Acropolis. A. A. C. 

17292. 

Athens, Mars' Hill. W. 457; U. 
& U. Ster. Greece (no num- 
ber). 

BABYLON. 
Babylon, Restoration of. S. S. T. 
102. 

A Mound at the site of Ancient 
Babylon. S. S. T. 101. 

BETHANY. 

Bethany, Lower Road to. U. & U. 
Ster. Pal. 33. 

Bethany, S. S. T. 238; W. 222; 
Co. 3104; A. A. C. 15045; B. 
893; W. 223. , 

Bethany, Where Our Lord was 
Anointed by Mary, S. from 
eastern slope of Olivet. Pal- 
estine U. & U. Ster. Ch. 27, 
Pal. 36. 

Bethany, Palestine. House of 

Marv and Martha. S. S. T. 

250; U. & U. Ster. Pal. 37- 
Bethanv, Palestine, Tomb of 

Lazarus. W. 224; A. A. C. 

15045; S. S. T. 249. 
Bethany, Home in. S. S. T. 103. 

BETHEL. 
Bethel (General View). U. & U. 
Ster. Pal. 3334; Scu. 12351; 
A. A. C. 15054; S. S. T. 104. 



Bethel, Palestine, The Gathering 
of Tares from Wheat, in the 
Stony Fields. U. & U. Ster. 
O. T. 3, Pal. 53- 

Bethel, Stony ground of. S. S. T. 
105. 

Bethel and Dan. S S. T. 112. 

BETHLEHEM. 
Bethlehem (General View). W. 
175; Co. 3109; Scu. 12352; 
Smu. 12352; A. A. C. Pan. s. 



Bethlehem, the Birthplace of 

Christ. Co. 31 10; U. & U. 

Ster. Pal. 39; Scu. 12353; 

Smu. 12353. 
Bethlehem, Birthplace of St. 

Helena. Scu. 12354; Smu. 

12354- 

Bethlehem, Peasants of the Neigh- 
borhood of. A. A. C. 1 5138. 

Bethlehem, View within the 
Walls. A. A. C. 1 5 143. 

Young Women of Bethlehem in 
Costume. A. A. C. 15 109. 

Bethlehem, Group of Women of. 
A. A. C. 15114- 

Bethlehem, Field of the Shep- 
herd's Watch. W. 177; U. & 
U. Ster. O. T. 30; S. S. T. 
107. 

Bethlehem, Pools of Solomon. 

A. A. C. 15042. 
Bethlehem, General View of the 

Well of David. A. A. C. 

15038. 

Bethlehem of Judea, where King 
David and Our Lord were 
Born. Palestine U. & U. 
Ster. Ch. 3. 

Road to Bethlehem, from Jaffa 
Gate. Scu. 12347; Smu. 
12347. 

Bethlehem, David's Well, W. 176; 
A. A. C. 15038. 



Pictures of Places and Scenery xv 



Bethlehem of Tudea, A Barlev 
Harvest near. U. & U. Ster. 
0. T. 29; Pal. 40. 

Bethlehem, Church of the Nativ- 
ity (Interior). U. & U. 
Ster. Pal. 38. 

Bethlehem, Grotto of the Nativ- 
ity. W. 174; Scu. 12356; 
Smu. 12356; A. A. C. 15041. 

Bethlehem, Cave and the Cradle. 
A. A. C. 15040. 

Bethlehem, Manger at. U. & U. 
Ster. Pal. 33 x 4- 

Bethlehem, Main Street of, lead- 
ing from the Church of the 
Nativity (looking N. W.). 
Palestine U. & U. Ster. Ch. 2. 

Bethlehem, Entry of Pilgrims on 
Christmas Day. Co. 3108; 
Scu. 12355; S'mu. 12355; S. 
S. T. 108. 

BETH-SHAN. 

Beth-Shan, where Saul's Bod}' 

was Taken. U. & U. Ster. 

Pal. 3346. 
Beth-Shan, up the Valley of Tez- 

reel. U. & U. Ster. 0. T. 32. 
From Beth-Shan to Hill of 

Moreh. U. & U. Ster. Pal. 



Cana of Galilee. W. 212; U. & 

U. Ster. Pal. 80; Scu. 12357; 

Smu. 12357; A. A. C. 15067; 

S. S. T. 138. 
Cana of Galilee, Palestine, In the 

Court of a Villasre Home. U. 

& U. Ster. O. T. 28; Ch. 17. 
Canaan, The Borders of. S. S. T. 

206. 

CAPERNAUM. 

Site of Capernaum and Sea of 
Galilee. W. 213; S. S. T. 
110. 

Capernaum. The Ruins of. A. A. 

C. 15073. 
Galilee, Christ's Home in. U. & 

U. Ster. Pal. 87. 
A City Set on a Hill. S. S. T. 

207. 

CAESAREA PHILIPPE 

Old Gate to Caesarea Philippi. at 
the foot of Mt. Hermon. Pal- 
estine L T . & U. Ster. Ch. 25; 
Pal. 90. 

Summer House at Caesarea Phil- 
ippi; probably the "Taber- 
nacles" referred to bv St. 
Peter. L T . & U. Ster. Ch. 19; 
Pal. 91. 

Caesarea Philippi. S. S. T. 109. 



CORINTH. 
Corinth, General View. A. A. C. 

18121; S. S. T. in. 
Site of Old Corinth, and Temple. 

U. & U. Ster. Greece, 2413. 
Corinth, The Temple in. U. & 

U. Ster. Pal. 2444. 

DAMASCUS. 
Ancient Road from Palestine to 
Damascus. U. & U. Ster. 
Pal. 89. 

Damascus, from Saliah. A. A. C. 

15080. 

Damascus, General View and Min- 
aret of the Bride. A. A. C. 
15081. 

Abana River. "The Sweetened 

Waters of Damascus." Syria 

U. & U. Ster. O. T. 42;" S. 

S. T. 232. 
Damascus, Stream of Barada. 

A. A. C. 15086. 
Damascus and Its Gardens. U. & 

U. Ster. O. T. 43; Pal. 97. 
Damascus, An Interior of a 

House. U & U. Ster. Pal. 

99; A. A. C. 15087. 
Damascus, The Court of a House. 

A. A. C. 15088. 
Church of St. lohn, Tomb of St. 

John the Baptist. U. & U. 

Ster. Pal. 3339. 
Damascus, Tomb of St. John the 

Baptist. Co. 3128; Scu. 

12338; Smu. 12338. 
Damascus, The Gate of the 

"Street Called Straight." A. 

A. C. 15083. 
Damascus, "The Street Called 

Straight." A. A. C. 15082; 

U. &. U. Ster. Pal. 98. 
Damascus, Wall Over which Paul 

Escaped. A. A. C. 15084. 
Damascus, An Oriental PrisonL 

S. S. T 208. 

DEAD SEA REGION. 
Dead Sea, North Shore of. U. & 

U. Ster. Pal. 45. 
Dead Sea, On the North Shore of, 

looking; S. W. Palestine U. 

& U. Ster. O. T. 6. 
Dead Sea. Pissrah's Slopes over. 

U. & U. Ster. O. T. 17. 

DOTHAN. 
Dothan. Plain of, where Joseph 
was Sold to the Ishmaelites. 
U. & U. Ster. O. T. 10; 
Pal. 64. 

Dothan. "Tosenh's Well." U. & 

U. Ster. Pal. 65. 
Dothan, Joseph's Pit. S. S. T. 

113- 



xvi 



Pictures of Places and Scenery 



EGYPT. 

Egypt, Palm- Fringed Nile. U. & 

U. Ster. O. T. 14. 
Egypt, Road to Pyramids. U. & 

U. Ster. O. T. 11. 
Egypt, Pyramids and Sphinx. 

W. 179. 

Egypt, Pyramids and Inundated 
" Palms'. W. 178. 

Egypt, Ruins of the Granite Tem- 
ple, the Sphinx and Great 
Pyramid. U. & U. Ster. O. 
T. 12. 

On Banks of River Nile. S. S. T. 
237- 

The Suez Canal and the Red Sea. 

S. S. T. 231. 
Egypt- Brick Store Chambers of 

Pithom, the City Built by 

Hebrew Bondsmen. U. & U. 

Ster. O. T. 15. 
Egypt, Heliopolis. W. 181. 
Egypt, Coptic Pilgrims from. U. 

& U. Ster. Pal. 3327. 
Egypt, Cairo, Interior of Coptic 

Church. W. 316. 
A Section of the Fertile Land of 

Goshen. S. S. T. 212. 

EMMAUS. 
Emmaus, Village of Amwas. U. 
& U. Ster. Pal. 7. 

ESDRAELON. 
Esdraelon, Plain of. Scu. 12360; 

Smu. 12360; S. S. T. 229. 
Esdraelon, Laborers. Plain of. 

Scu. 12360; Smu. 12360; A. 

A. C. 15141- 
The River Euphrates. S. S. T. 

233- 

GALILEE. 

Galilee, Sea of. W. 214; Smu. 
12370; S. S. T. 255. 

Galilee. Sea of (View of Tiber- 
ias). W. 215. 

Galilee, Sea of, Fishing. U. & U. 
Ster. Pal. 85. 

Galilee, Fishing Boat on Sea of 
Tiberias. W. 308; S. S. T. 
210. 

Galilee, Life on the Shores of, at 
Tiberias. U. & U. Ster. Ch. 
13; Pal- 84. 

Galilee. Looking S. E. along the 
Eastern Shore of, where the 
Draught of Fishes were taken. 
U. & U. Ster. Ch. 36. 

Svcamore Trees in Holy Land. S. 
S. T. 342. • 

Looking N. E. from the Mt. of 
Beatitudes to Capernaum and 
the Sea of Galilee. U. & U. 
Ster. Ch. 20; Pal. 81. 

Palestine, Cornfield. S. S. T. 213. 



Road Building in the Holv Land. 

S. S. T. 334- 
Shepherd and His Dog. YV. 243. 
Druse Shepherd with a Lamb. 

W. 244. 

On Mountains of Galilee. S. S. 
T. 209. 

HARAN. 
Haran, A Modern View of. S. 
S. T. 116. 

GAZA. 

Gaza. S. S. T. 115. 

HEBRON 
Hebron, General Mew. A. A. C. 

15043; A. A. C. Pan. s. 4537; 

S. S. T. 117. 
Hebron, the Home of Abraham. 

Isaac and Tacob. U. & U. 

Ster. O. T. 4; Pal. 41. 
Hebron, Abraham's Tree. Scu. 

12378; Smu. 12378; A. A. C. 

15044; S. S. T. 200. 
Hebron. Tombs of the Patriarchs. 

A. A. C. 1 5 144. 
Hebron, Entrance to the Burial 

Place of Abraham. U. & U. 

Ster. Pal. 3317. 
Mosque Machpelah. the Burial 

Place of Abraham. U. & U. 

Ster. O. T. 7: Pal. 42. 
Hebron, King's Pool. U. & U. 

Ster. Pal. 3316. 

ITALY (See also Rome). 
Italy, Modern (Turner). B 1747- 
Florence, Rn. 5036; RL. 
55H2. 

Rome, Baptismal Fount (St. 

Peter's). Rn. 746. 
Pozzoull. W. 304. 

JABBOK. 
Jabbok Brook, where Jacob and 

Esau Met. U. & U. Ster. 

O. T. 9. 

JAFFA (Joppa). 
Jaffa, from the Sea. A. A. C. 

15001. 

Taffa, from the Garden. Scu. 
12363; Smu. 12363; A. A. C. 
15002. 

Taffa, the Toppa of Bible Times. 
U. & U. Ster. Pal. 1; Ch. 1. 

Taffa. House of Simon the Tan- 
ner. W. 302; U. & U. Ster. 
Pal. 3- 

Jaffa, Boat and Boatmen of. Scu. 
12364; Smu. 12364; A. A. C. 
i5 J 34- 

Taffa. Bazar of. U. & U. Ster. 
Pal. 2. 

Taffa. Kirjath-iearin. Jerusalem 
Road. U. & U. Ster. Pal. 
1855. 



Pictures of Places and Scenery 



xvii 



JERESH. 
Jerash in Gilead. on the Pathway 
of Jacob's Return to Canaan; 
most extensive ruins east of 
Tordan, looking north. U. & 
U. Ster. O. T. 8. 

JERICHO. 
Jericho, from the Plains. W. 210. 
Jericho and Mt. Quarantana. W. 
209. 

Jericho, the Dead Sea. A. A. C. 

15148-15050. 
Jericho. W. 211, S. S. T. 119. 
Jericho, General View. A.. A. C. 

15049. 

Mountains of Tudea from Tericho. 

U. & U. "Ster. Pal. 48. 
Wilderness of Judea. S. S. T. 

244. 

Jericho, on the road to — the Para- 
ble of the Good Samaritan. 
U. & U. Ster. Ch. 26. 

Scene of the Good Samaritan Epi- 
sode. Scu. 12369; Smu. 
12369. 

Khan-el-Ahmar, on the Road to 
Jericho. A. A. C. 15047. 

Bedouin Robbers, Road to Jeri- 
cho. U. & U. Ster. 'Pal. 
33i8. 

Jericho, Modern. S. S. T. 118. 

JERUSALEM. 
From Mt. Ebal to Terusalem. U. 

& U. Ster. O. T. 22. 
Jerusalem, from Mt. Scopus. A. 

A. C. 1 503 1. 
Jerusalem, the City of the Great 

King, from Mt. Olives. U. 

& U. Ster. Ch. 30. 
Jerusalem, the Holy City, from 

N. E., near the place from 

which it was first seen bv 

Jesus. U. & U. Ster. Ch. 8. 
Terusalem, and the Mount of 

Olives. U. & U. Ster. Pal. 

12; Ch. 32. 
Jerusalem, Mount of Olives. Co. 

3!oo. 

Jerusalem, from Mt. of Olives. B. 

997; W. 192-193; P. 1924; 

Co. 3101; U. & U. Ster. Pal. 

18; A. A. C. 15030; A. A. 

C. Pan. med. 4516. 
Jerusalem, A Glimpse of. S. S. 

T. 137. 

Jerusalem, the Holy City, from 
the X. E. (showing the whole 
city). U. & U. Ster. O. T. 
33- 

Terusalem, Vallev of Tehoshaphat. 
V". 189; U. & U. Ster. Pal. 
3280; A. A. C. 15035; S. S. 
T. 243. 



Terusalem, Valley of Hinnom. 
U. & U. Ster. 3281; S. S. T. 
242. 

Jerusalem, Brook Kedron. Scu. 

12332; Smu. 12332. 
Valley of Kedron and Village of 

Siloam from the South. U. 

& U. Ster. Pal. 14; O. T. 48. 
Siloam. W. 220; Scu. 12374; 

Smu. 12374. 
Siloam and the Tvrophean Vallev. 

A. A. C. 15036. 
Terusalem. B. 997; U. & U. 

Ster. Pal 11; O. T. 46; A. A. 

C. ex. 3072. 
Terusalem, YVailing Place. W. 

197; U. & U. Ster. O. T. 51; 

A. A. C. 15024. 
Terusalem, W alls and Golden 

Gate. W. 187; U. & U. Ster. 

Pal. 3287. 
Terusalem, Golden Gate. W . 204; 
' A. A. C. 15025; S. S. T. 123. 
Terusalem, the Taffa Gate. U. & 

U. Ster. Pal. 10; A. A. C. 

15008. 

Jerusalem, Inside the Jaffa Gate. 
YV. 19S; Scu. 12335; Smu. 
12335. 

Terusalem, S. Stephen's Gate. W. 

201; U. & U. Ster. Pal. 

3289; A. A. C. 15026. 
Terusalem, Damascus Gate. W. 

203; U. & U. Ster. Pal. 29; 

A. A. C. 15027. 
Jerusalem, the Towers of David 

and Hippicus. W. 205; A. A. 

C. 15009. 
Jerusalem. Street of the Tower of 

David. A. A. C. 150 10. 
Tower of David. U. & U. Ster. 

Pal. 9. 

Terusalem, Tower and Gate. S. 

S. T. 120. 
Terusalem, David's Castle. U. & 

U. Ster. Pal. 3288. 
Terusalem, Tomb of David. W. 

184. 

Jerusalem, Upper Room over 

Tomb of David. YV. 191. 
Terusalem, Tomb of the Kines. 

W. 200; U. & U. Ster. Pal. 

16; A. A. C. 15029. 
Jerusalem, Tomb of Rachel. Scu. 

12376; Smu. 12376; A. A. C. 

15037. 

"Xew Calvary" and "Tomb of 
Teremiah." U. & U. Ster. 
O. T. 47. 

Terusalem, Teremiah's Grotto. 
A. A. C. "1502S; S. S. T. 220. 

Terusalem, Site of Solomon's Tem- 
ple. W. 202; U. & U. Ster. 
Pal. 30; O. T. 35; A. A. C. 
15018. 



xviii 



Pictures of Places and Scenery 



Solomon's Temple. W. 384; Scu. 

12336; Smu. 12336. 
Jerusalem, Stables of Solomon. 

Scu. 12348; Smu. 12348; U. & 

U. Ster. Pal. 3285. 
Jerusalem, Tower of Antonia. W. 

185; A. A. C. 15016. 
Jerusalem, Site of the Tower of 

Antonia. A. A. C. 15021. 
Jerusalem, Lane Leading to 

Herod's Palace. W. 196. 
Street Leading to Herod's Palace. 

S. S. T. 214. 
Herod's Temple. W. 385; Scu. 

12338; Smu. 12338; S. S. T. 

246. 

Mr. Moriah, where the Temple 
Altar Stood. U. & U. Ster. 
Pal. 31. 

Nero's Temple. Scu. 12339; Smu. 
12339- 

Terusalem, Temple Area. S. S. 
T. 122. 

Jerusalem, Mosque of Omar. W. 

193; Co. 3141; U. & U. Ster. 

O. T. 36; Scu. 12341; Smu. 

12341; A. A. C. 15019; A. A. 

C. ex. 3069. 
Jerusalem, Mosque of Omar, Trib- 
une of David. Scu. 12343; 

Smu. 12343. 
Jerusalem, Rock of the Mosque 

of Omar. Scu. 12342; A. A. 

C. 15020. 
Terusalem, Mosque of El-Aksa. 

U. & U. Ster. Pal. 32; Scu. 

12340; A. A. C. 15023. 
Jerusalem, Pool of Bethesda. W. 

188; B. 891; S. S. T. 248. 
Terusalem, Pool of Hezekiah. W. 

288; U. & U. Ster. O. T. 

44; A. A. C. 1 50 1 1. 
Pool of Siloam. W. 221; P. 

1934; U. & U. Ster. Pal. 15; 

U. & U. Ster. Ch. 28; Scu. 

12344; 

Jerusalem, The Rich Man's House. 
W. 186. 

Mount of Olives and Gethsemane. 
U. & U. Ster. O. T. 34; U. & 
U. Ster. Pal. 17; A. A. C. 

15034- 

Jerusalem, Garden of Gethsem- 
ane and Mt. of Olives, from 
the Eastern Wall. U. & U. 
Ster. Ch. 12. 

Brook Kidron and Gethsemane. 
S. S. T. 252. 

Garden of Gethsemane, Ancient 
Olive Trees. U. & U. Ster. 
Ch. 33; Pal. 35. 

Garden of Gethsemane (View 1). 
W. 232; P. 1925; Co. 3103; 
A. A. C. 15033; A. A. C. ex. 
3128. 



Garden of Gethsemane (View 2). 
W. 231. 

Garden of Gethsemane (View 3). 
W. 233. 

Jerusalem, the Way to the Sta- 
tion. A. A. C. 15007. 

Jerusalem, Arch of Ecce Homo. 
W. 190; A. A. C. 15017. 

Terusalem, Via Dolorosa (Way of 
Tears). U. & U. Ster. Pal. 
3286; A. A. C. 1 50 1 5. 

House of S. Veronica, Jerusalem. 
W. 292. 

Jerusalem, Via Dolorosa — Sta- 
tions Ten and Eleven (Latin 
Altar). W. 296. 

Jerusalem, Via Dolorosa — Sta- 
tions Twelve and Thirteen 
(Greek Altar). W. 297; Scu. 
12349; Smu. 12349; A. A. C. 
15014. 

Golgotha, or Calvary. W. 234. 
Golgotha, Place of Skull. S. S. 
T. 253. 

Jerusalem from Calvary. S. S. T. 
257- 

Jerusalem, Potter's Field. W. 
199. 

Fountain of the Virgin. W. 303; 
U. & U. Ster. Ch. 5; Pai. 72. 

Tomb of the Virgin and Cave of 
Agony. A. A. C. 15032. 

Interior of the Grotto of Agony. 
A. A. C. 15152. 

Rock Tomb showing Stone 
Rolled Away. S. S. T. 241. 

"Tomb of Our Lord," New Cal- 
vary, outside of Jerusalem. 
U. & U. Ster. Ch.' 35; Pal. 
27; S. S. T. 240. 

Supposed Tomb of Our Lord. S. 
S. T. 240. 

"The New Calvary," outside 
Damascus Gate. U. & U. 
Ster. Ch. 34; Pal. 26. 

Jerusalem, Easter Procession of 
the Greek Patriarch, enter- 
ing the Church of the Holy 
Sepulchre. U. & U. Ster. 
Pal. 22. 

Jerusalem, Church of the Holy 
Sepulchre. W. 287; U. & 
U. Ster. Pal. 20; A. A. C. 
15012. 

Terusalem, Church of the Holy 

Sepulchre (Gates). U. & U. 

Ster. Pal. 21; Scu. 12333; 

Smu. 12333. 
Jerusalem, Stairway Leading to 

Church of Holy Sepulchre. 

W. 194. 

Jerusalem, Interior of Church of 
Holv Sepulchre. W. 195; A. 
A. C. 15013. 



Pictures of Places mid Scenery xix 



Traditional Room of Our Lord's 

Supper. S. S. T. 251. 
Jerusalem, Stone of Anointment, 

Church of Holy Sepulchre. 

U. & U. Ster. Pal. 3295. 
Jerusalem, Beautiful Church of 

the Armenian Christians. U. 

& U. Ster. Pal. 24. 
Mount of Olives, Church of the 

Ascension. W. 236. 
Jerusalem, Pulpit of the Cadi- 

Borhan-ed-din. A. A. C. 

15022. 

Jerusalem, Road of the Captivity. 

Scu. 12346; Smu. 12346. 
Jerusalem, Gate of the Prison of 

St. Peter. W. 300; Scu. 

12345- 

Rock of the Apostles. W. 298. 

Jerusalem, Types of Jews in. A. 
A. C. 15129. 

Jerusalem, Christian Street — Mot- 
ley Life in the Holy City's 
Bazar District. U. & U. 
Ster. Pal. 19; O. T. 50. 

"Unclean, Unclean" — Wretched 
Lepers Outside of Jerusalem. 
U. & U. Ster. Ch. 18; Pal. 
34- 

Jerusalem, Cattle Market Day in 
the Lower Pool of Gihon, 
Valley of Hinnom. U. & U. 
Ster. Pal. 13. 

Sacrifices Near the Gates of Jeru- 
salem. U. & U. Ster. 0. T. 
49; Ch. 31. 

JEZREEL. 

Jezreel, The Ruins. A. A. C. 
15061. 

Mt. Gilboa and Valley of Jezreel. 

U. & U. Ster. Pal. 3348. 
An Old Watch Tower in Jezreel. 

U. & U. Ster. Pal. 3349- 
Gideon's Battlefield and Hill of 

Moreh, North from Tezreel. 

U. & U. Ster. O. T. 26; Pal. 

68. 

"By the Side of Still Waters," on 
the Plain of Jezreel. U. & 
U. Ster. Ch. 6; Pal. 67. 

JORDAN VALLEY. 

Benias, Source of Tordan. W. 
305; U. & U. Ster. O. T. 5; 
Pal. 88; Scu. 12350; Smu. 
12350.. 

Tel-el-Kadi, Site of Dan and 

Source of the Jordan. A. A. 

C 15074- - 
Plain of the Jordan. U. & U. 

Ster. O. T. 20; Pal. 50. 
Plain of the Jordan, Southeast, 

from the Ruins of Ancient 



Jericho. U. & U. Ster. Ch. 

XI. 

Jordan River. P. 1921; Scu. 

12367; Smu. 12367; A. A. C. 

15051; S. S. T. 236. 
Jordan, Palestine. P. 1922; S. 

S. T. 234. 
Fords of the Tordan. W. 206; 

S. S. T. 235. 
Jordan, Place of Baptism. A. A. 

C. 15052. 
Baptizing in the Jordan. U. & 

U. Ster. Ch. 10; Pal. 47. 
Bedouins of the Jordan District. 

A. A. C. 15125. 
Ain Karin Convent — St. John's- 

in-the-Desert. W. 306. 
Kadesh-Barnea. S. S. T. 221. 

LEBANON. 
Cedars of Lebanon. A. A. C. 
15106. 

LYDDA. 
Lydda (The Biblical Lod), View 

from Southwest. U. & U. 

Ster. Pal. 5; A. A. C. 15003. 
Lydda, Birthplace of England's 

Patron Saint, St. George. 

U. & U. Ster. Pal. 3278. 
Lydda, Crusaders' Chapel Over 

Tomb of St. George. U. & 

U. Ster. Pal. 3279. 
Lydda, Syrian Travelers near. U. 

& U. Ster Pal. 6. 

MACHAERUS. 
Machaerus. S. S. T. 124. 

MAGDALA. 
Magdala, Birthplace of Mary 
Magdalene. W. 214; A. A. 
C. 15072. 

MAR-SABA. 
Mar-Saba Convent. U. & U. 
Ster. Pal. 43; A. A. C. 15053. 
MIZPAH. 
Nebi-Samuel, or the Plain of 

Mispah. A. A. C. 15006. 
From Mispah to Rama. U. & U. 
Ster. O. T. 21. 

MOUNT OF BEATITUDES. 

Mount of Beatitudes. W. 217; 
Scu. 12366; Smu. 12366; A. 
A. C. 15069; S. S. T. 225. 

Mt. of Beatitudes and Mt. Tabor. 
U. & U. Ster. Pal. 3356. 

West Shore of Galilee, Plain of 
Gennesaret, and Mt. of Beati- 
tudes, from Bethsaida. U. & 
U. Ster. Ch. 23. 

Bethsaida, Sea of Galilee, and Mt. 
of Beatitudes. U. & U. Ster. 
Pal. 86. 



XX 



Pictures of Places and Scenery 



MOUNT CARMEL. 
Mount Carmel. A. A. C. 15076; 

S. S. T. 222. 
River Kishon and Mt. Carmel. 

U. & U. Ster. Pal. 76. 
Carmel, the Mount of a Thousand 

Valleys. U. & U. Ster. Pal. 

1932. 

Plain of Esdraelon and Mt. Car- 
mel. U. & U. Ster. Pal. 75- 

Rock of Elijah's Altar, on Mt. 
Carmel. U. & U. Ster. O. T. 
40; Pal. 77. 

Village of Dalieh, Mt. Carmel. 
U. & U. Ster. Pal. 1936. 

MOUNT GERIZIM. 

Mount Gerizim. Scu. 12373; Smu. 
12373; U. & U. Ster. Pal. 
58; A. A. C. 15057. 

Mt. Gerizim, where the Samari- 
tans Worshiped, and Steps 
to Jacob's Well, looking 
southwest. U. & U. Ster. 
Pal. 56. 

From Mt. Ebal to Mt. Gerizim. 
U. & U. Ster. Ch. 1 5. 

Sychar and Mt. Gerizim. U. & 
U. Ster. Pal. 3338. 

Passover as Celebrated To-day by 
the Samaritans, Mt. Geri- 
zim. U. & U. Ster. O. T. 16. 

MOUNT GILBOA. 
Gideon's Spring, Mt. Gilboa. U. 
& U. Ster. O. T. 25; Pal. 66. 

MOUNT HERMON. 

Mount Hermon and Plain of Ta- 
bor. A. A. C. 15149- 

Mount Hermon, Where Jesus was 
Transfigured. Co. 3135; Scu. 
12365; Smu. 12365; A. A. C. 
15075. 

MOUNT HOR. 
Mount Hor. S. S. T. 223. 

MOUNT NEBO. 
From Mt. Nebo to the Promised 
Land. U. & U. Ster. O. T. 
18; Pal. 46; S. S. T. 224. 

MOUNT TABOR. 
Mount Tabor. A. A. C. 15063. 
From Mt. Tabor to the Hill of 

Moreh. U. & U. Ster. Pal. 

70. 

Looking South from Mt. Tabor 
to the Hill of Moreh. Pales- 
tine U. & U. Ster. O. T. 24. 

NAIN. 

Nain. W. 218; A. A. C. 15062. 



Village of Nain and Mt. Tabor, 
looking northeast. U. & U. 
Ster. Ch. 21; Pal. 69; S. S. 
T. 125. 

NAZARETH. 
Nazareth. W. 183; B. 890; P. 

1923; U. & U. Ster. Pal. 71; 

A. A. C. 15064; A. A. C. ex. 

3073; S. S. T. 126. 
Nazareth, across the Plain of 

Esdraelon. U. & U. Ster. 

Ch. 4. 

From Mt. Ebal to Mt. Gerizim. 

U. & U. Ster. Ch. 15. 
Nazareth, from Road to Cana. A. 

A. C. 15065. 
Nazareth and Hill Country. W. 

182; Co. 3123. 
Christian Girl of Nazareth. U. & 

U. Ster. Pal. 74. 
Nazareth, the Place the People 

Wished to Throw Christ 

Over the Precipice. W. 183. 
Nazareth, Interior of the Church 

of the Annunciation. A. A. 

C 15151. 
Carpenter Shop. S. S. T. 127. 

PETRA. 

Petra, An Altar of Baal. S. S. 
T. 201. 

RAMAH. 
Ramah, A Street in. U. & U. 

Ster. Pal. 52. 
Ramah, A Woman of. U. & U. 

Ster. Pal. 3329. 
Ramah, A Greek Priest Blessing 

the Village Children. U. & 

U. Ster. Ch. 29. 

RAMLEH. 
Ramleh Tower of the Forty Mar- 
tyrs. A. A C. 15005. 
Ramleh, Panoramic View Taken 

from the Tower of the Forty 

Martvrs. A. A. C. 15004. 

ROME (See also Italy). 
Rome, Bird's Eye View from St. 

Peter's. A A. C. Pan. med. 

4555'. U. & U. Ster. Rome 4. 
Rome, Appian Way. P. 1743; 

Tba. 3050, 3051; W. 315; 

Tsa. 3050, 3051; Tpa 3050, 

3051 ; Rn. 614, 5 T 4a, 615; 

RL. 2024, 2025; A. A. C. 

3136; U. & U. Ster Rome 44- 
Rome, the Coliseum. U. & U. 

Ster. Rome 30; A. A. C. 

1176; A. A C. 3138. 
Rome, Sculpture, Showing the 

Seven-Branch Candlestick in 

the Arch of Titus. S. S. T. 

337- 



Pictiwes of Places and Scenery xxi 



Rome, Palatine. A. A. C. 3135 

Rome, General View from the 
Palatine. A. A. C. 8577. 

Rome, the Forum from the Pala- 
tine. A A. C. 8587. 

Rome, the Forum, U. & U. Ster. 
Rome 1991; A. A. C. 1177. 

Rome, the Parthenon. A. A. C. 
8573; U. & U. Ster. Rome 

Rome, *St. Paul's House. S. S. T. 
256; P. 1769. 

SAMARIA. 
Samaria, General View. W. 229; 

Scu. 12368; Smu. 12368; U. 

& U. Ster. O. T. 39; A. A. C. 

15058; S. S. T. 130. 
Samaria, Herod's Capital City. 

U. & U. Ster. Pal. 3340 
Samaria, Ancient City of. U. & 

U. Ster. 62; S. S. T 131. 
House-tops of Samaritan Houses. 

W. 227. 

Samaria, the Colonnade. A. A. C. 
15059. 

Samaria, Threshing Floor, at. U. 

& U. Ster. Pal. 3341. 
Road from Samaria to Jerusalem 

S. S. T. 239. 
The Inn of the Good Samaritan. 

S. S. T. 219. 
Samaria, Group of Lepers. W. 

228. 

Samaria, Jacob's Well. W. 312; 

S. S. T. 247. 
A Samaritan Woman at Tacob's 

Well. U. & U Ster. Ch. 16; 

Pal. 57- 

Mt. Ebal and Joseph's Tomb. U. 

& U. Ster. Pal. 3375 
Road from Samaria to Jenin. U. 

& U. Ster. Pal. 3345- 
Herod's Street of Columns. U 

& U. Ster. Pal. 63. 

SHECHEM. 
View from Mt. Ebal, S. W., over 

Shechem, Mt. Gerizim and the 

Seacoast Plain to Joppa. U. 

& U. Ster. O. T. 2. 
Nablous (Shechem). W. 226; 

A. A. C. 15055; S S. T. 133. 
Nablous and Mt. Gerizim. Scu. 

12373; Smu. 12373; U. & U. 

Ster. Pal 58; A. A. C. 15057. 
Shechem, Mount Ebal. Scu. 

12372; Smu. 12372; U. & U. 

Ster. O. T. 38. 



Shiloh, 
U. 

Shiloh. 
Sidon. 



Shechem, from Mt. Ebal. U. & 

U. Ster. O. T. 23. 
Nablous, Vale of Nabulus. A. A. 

C. 15056. 
Shechem, Grave of Joseph. U. & 

U. Ster. Pal. 3336. 
Samaritan High Priest and Penta- 
teuch Roll, Supposed Writing 
of Aaron's Great-grandson, 
Shechem. Palestine U. & U. 
Ster. O. T. 45; Pal. 59; S. S. 
T. 336; S. S. T. 335. 
SHILOH 
Resting Place of the Ark. 
& U. Ster. Pal. 54. 
S. S. T. 134. 

SIDON. 
Scu. 12375. 
Traditional Hill of the Swine. 

S. S. T. 215. 
Ancient Citadel in the Sea of 
Sidon. Syria U. & U. Ster. 
Pal. 93- 
SYRIA (See also Damascus). 
House in Syria Built upon a 

Rock. S. S. T. 217. 
Baalbek, Syria. U. & U. Ster. 
Pal. 3396; U & U. Ster. Pal. 
96. 

Syria, Ruins of Baalbek. U. & U. 

Ster. Pal. 95. 
Syria, Mount Lebanon. U. & U. 

Ster. Pal. 94. 
Tomb of Hiram, King of Syria. 
U. & U. Ster. 3390. 
THESSALONICA 
Salonica, Ancient Thessalonica. U. 
& U. Ster. Greece 2467. 

TIBERIAS. 
Tiberias, View of Tiberias. W 
215; U. & U. Ster. Pal. 82. 
Tiberias, Panoramic View. A. A 

C. 15069. 
Tiberias, View from the Fortress 

A. A. C 15070. 
Tiberias, Fisherman's Boat on the 
Lake. U. & U. Ster. Pal. 83 
A. A. C. 15071; S S. T. 351 
TYRE 

Tyre, Harbor. U. & U. Ster. Pal 
3388. 

Tyre. A. A. C. 15078; S. S. T. 
136. 

Ruins of Ancient Tyre — Wonder 
ful fulfillment of Prophecv 
U. & U. Ster. Ch. 24; Pal. 92 
The N. Y. S. S. Commission has also prepared a special Type- 
written Stereopticon Lecture with about 100 Slides, covering the ma- 
terial and places of this book. Sepirate Slides may be purchased at 40 
cents each, plain; $1.00 each, colored. The One Cent Prints, noted 
above, also furnish a complete outfit for Opaque Projectors, such as 
the Reflectoscope and the Balopticon. 



LIST OF MAPS IN APPENDIX 



1. World on Mercator Projection. 

2. Physical Map of Palestine. 

3. Western Asia in Early Times. 

4. Egypt, Sinai, and Canaan. 

5. The Period of the Patriarchs. 

6. Route of the Exodus. Colored. 

7. Period of the Tribal Settlements. Colored. 

8. Period of the Judges, 1270-1030. Colored. 

9. Period of the Kingdom of Saul, 1030-1010. Colored. 

10. Period of David and Solomon, 1000-937. Colored. 

11. Divided Kingdom to Revolution of Jehu, 937-842. Col- 

ored. 

12. Syrian Conquests in Reign of Hazael, 814-797. Colored. 

13. Assyrian Conquests of Syria, 797-783. Colored. 

14. Period of Jeroboam II., 780-740. Colored, 

15. Conquests of Tiglath-Pileser III., 733-72/ . Colored. 

16. Fall of Israel and Period of Hezekiah, 727-695. Colored. 

17. Sythian Invasion and Period of Josiah, 639-608. Colored. 
18. Babylonian Period, 605-586. Colored. 

19. Period of the Exile, 586-536. Colored. 

20. Persian Period, 536-332. Colored. 

21. Palestine in the Time of Christ. Colored. 

22. The Roman World in the Time of the Apostles. Colored, 

23. St. Philip's Journey. 

24. St. Peter's Journey. 

25. Saul's Early Journeys. 

26. Saul's Conversion. 

27. St. Barnabas' Journeys. 

28. St. Paul's First Missionary Journey. 

29. St. Paul's Second Missionary Journey. 

30. St. Paul's Third Missionary Journey. 

31. St. Paul's Voyage to Rome. 

32. Roman Empire with St. Paul's Journeys. 

33. Road Map of Palestine. 

34. Ancient Jerusalem. 

35. Jerusalem in Nehemiah's Time. 



xxiii 



CHAPTER I 



THE BIBLE WORLD 

What the Bible World Includes. Speaking generally, one 
may say that all the principal events noted in the Bible oc- 
curred within lands bordering on the eastern portion of the 
Mediterranean Sea, and countries almost adjacent. The Old 
Testament history (Appendix) is embraced between the 
four great seas of Western Asia, — the Mediterranean, the 
Black, the Caspian, and the Persian Gulf. The history of 
the life of Christ lies in Palestine proper. The Book of Acts 
and the early apostolic history includes Palestine, Syria, Asia 
Minor, and the Roman Empire, bordering on the Mediter- 
ranean. The Old Testament world runs from the mouth of 
the Nile to the Persian Gulf on the south (see maps through- 
out) and from Mount Sinai to Mount Ararat, near the 
Caspian Sea. Its total extent is about 1,400 miles east and 
west, and about 900 miles north and south. Its land area is 
about 1,110,000 square miles, or one-third that of the United 
States proper. Of this area, however, more than two-thirds 
is a vast desert, so that the occupied land amounts in extent 
to less than one-eighth of the United States. 

Chief Physical Features of the Old Testament World. 
Looking at the map (Appendix) we see, in Egypt the River 
Nile, with its broad Delta ; then traveling eastward, the Gulf 
of Suez, the Sinai Peninsula, containing the Desert of Paran; 
and next the Gulf of Akabah. In Palestine, if we cross from 
Joppa, we pass in order through the Maritime Plain, a Central 
Range of Mountains, the Jordan River and its wide valley, 
the Eastern Range of Mountains in Gilead, then the Arabian 
Desert, the Euphrates River, Mesopotamia and Chaldea, the 
Tigris River., the huge Zagros Range of Mountains, and 
finally the land of Media. (All these places should be looked 

1 



2 



Students' Historical Geography 



up on the map and sketched in an outline map, made by the 
student.) 

Limits and Names of Palestine. The region is rather 
indefinite, especially in differing times in history. The early 
name was Canaan (Num. 13 : 29), from the Canaanites, who 
lived there before the entrance of the Hebrews. When the 
ancient Hebrews took possession they called it the Land of 
the Hebrews, or the Land of Israel. Canaan referred to the 
country between the Jordan and the Mediterranean (the 
Great Sea) and between Mount Lebanon and the Southern 
Desert. Palestine is often given as a title to this section 
Palestine comes from a Greek word used to designate Philistia 
(Psa. 60 : 8), originally in Greek "Palaistine," and later 
altered by the Romans to Palestina. Philistia meant the land 
inhabited by the Philistines. This region of Palestine covers 
only 6,600 square miles, smaller than Massachusetts by some 
1,200 square miles. 

Palestine proper embraces both Canaan and the land east 
of the Jordan, often loosely termed Gilead, covering in all 
about 12,000 square miles, or equal to Massachusetts and 
Connecticut. Another name, given by the prophet Zechariah 
(Zech. 2 : 12), is the Holy Land. (See also Gen. 13 : 14-17 
and Deut. 7:6.) In Hebrews 11 : 9, it is called the Land 
of Promise. (See Num. 34.) Western Palestine has about 
the same area as the state of New Jersey and about the shape 
of New Hampshire. It would extend from New York up 
the Hudson to within about ten miles of Albany. Palestine lay 
at almost the precise center of the then known world. If one 
were to draw a circle of 1,600 miles diameter, with Jerusalem 
as the focus, all the great cities of ancient times would be 
included, — Rome, Athens, Ephesus, Nineveh, Babylon, Mem- 
phis, Thebes, and Alexandria. It was a land shut in by 
mountains, which in turn shut out many enemies. Neverthe- 
less it was the great highway between Egypt and Babylon, 
because, lying between both, the caravan routes passed through 
it with the commerce of these two mighty countries. One 
of the common Old Testament modes of limiting the extent 
of Canaan was by referring to it as "From Dan to Beersheba" 
(Judg. 20 : 1). 



The Bible World 



3 



In Northern Africa (Egypt) and the Sinaitic Peninsula, 

we should note the following fixed features : Egypt lies 
along the two sides of the river Nile. There have always 
been two Egypts, Northern and Southern. Northern or Lower 
Egypt lies in the Nile Delta, triangular in shape, a huge, 
splendid garden, with the richest soil of the then known 
world, the grain lands of the Roman Empire. Southern or 
Upper Egypt winds along .the Nile Valley, from two to ten 
miles wide, with barren hills on either side, beyond which lay 
desert. These two Egypts were always so separate that the 
very crowns, worn by the kings, were double. The main 
stream of the Nile is known as the White Nile, while the 
Blue Nile flows into it in Nubia, rising far back in Abyssinia. 
The Land of Goshen lay southeast of the Delta. It was the 
home of the Israelites during their long sojourn in Egypt as 
slaves. The only cities of Bible note in Egypt were Heliopolis, 
called On in the Scriptures, on the eastern branch of the 
Delta (Gen. 41 : 45, 50; 46 : 20), Alexander, in later times 
the metropolis of Africa (Acts 6 : 9, 18 : 24, 27 : 6, 28 : 11) ; 
while Thebes was the chief city of Upper Egypt, and its 
capital. 

The great Sinaitic Peninsula lies between Egypt and the 
Gulf of Suez on the one side and the arm of the Red Sea 
known as the Gulf of Akaba on the other. It forms a 
huge triangular desert. To the northern end lies a plain of 
white sand, the wilderness of Shur, then below a barren 
tableland of limestone, known as the Wilderness of Paran, 
"the great and terrible wilderness" of the Forty Years' Wan- 
derings of the Israelites (Deut. 1 : 19). It is still called 
Et Tih, "the Wandering," and is crossed by two drear caravan 
routes, marked by dry bones of victims to its scourge. At 
its lowest point is the Wilderness of Mount Sinai; bordered 
by the Wilderness of Sin, not to be confounded with the 
Wilderness of Zin, lying just below the foot of the Dead 
Sea. Much discussion has arisen as to the site of Mount 
Sinai, the terms Horeb and Sinai being seemingly used in- 
terchangeably. Several peaks have been claimed, presuming 
that Horeb applied to the range of Mountains and Sinai to a 
particular peak. Jebel Musa, the Mountain of Moses, is the 



4 



Students' Historical Geography 



Mountain of the Law, according to local tradition. Ras es 
Sufsafeh has the preference of many modern writers, and, 
if the mountain lay at all in the south, is the most likely 
from its nature. The most recent critical research, favoring 
the shorter route of the Exodus straight across the Peninsula 
to the head of the Gulf of Akaba, places the Mountain of 
the Law near that spot. 

The places of Bible interest are Rameses in Goshen, the 
starting-point of the Exodus ; Succotli directly south a short 
space; Etham on the edge of the Lake above the Gulf; Pi- 
hahiroth and Baal-Zephon near the Gulf. The sites of 
other places mentioned as Mar ah, Eli m, and Rephidim are al- 
together uncertain. (Read Exodus 12-14; Numbers 33.) 

Physical Palestine in Detail. It is most important that 
we study the physical geography of the Holy Land in quite 
some detail, for, while it is true in general that geography 
has always left its stamp upon the history and character of 
mankind, it is especially true of the Hebrews, for no people 
of antiquity ever lived in closer contact with Nature than 
did they. We shall find this study of entrancing interest, for 
Palestinian characteristics are reflected in almost every psalm, 
prophecy, and parable given us in Holy Writ. "The Cedars 
of Lebanon, Mount Hermon, the flowing springs, the restless 
sea, the roaring lion, the eagle, the lily, even the sparrows" 
are all pictured in Bible literature. As we traverse the land, 
the gloomy Valley of Michmash becomes the scene of the 
heart-stirring attack of Jonathan upon the Philistines, that gave 
the Hebrews their independence from the giants. On the Plain 
of Megiddo, Thothmes III, Necho, and Napoleon have trodden 
the same paths of battle. Here is a land that Nature destined 
to be the great highway over which would pass and repass 
nations upon nations, bent on war or commerce. As we wit- 
ness the location of the Hebrew homes, high on towering 
mountains, we can see God's plan for seclusion and education, 
a preparation for their contribution to the world or the 
world's greatest religion. And it has been the physical con- 
tour and characteristics of this land of sacred memories that 
has moulded the life of the dwellers among the mountains 
and valleys and plains that mark its face. What at first 



The Bible World 



5 



seems but a confused, unthreaded series of valleys and hills 
is revealed on closer inspection as an orderly, naturally-de- 
veloped set of six zones, each with a type of life and char- 
acter peculiar to its environment, each contributing directly 
to the special production of a distinct race and religious 
standard. We shall study each zone and include in each its 
own mountains, rivers, valleys, and cities, thus connecting 
them together in orderly pictorial sequence. 

Questions and Manual Work on Chapter I. 

1. On a world outline map (Sunday School Commission 
Mercator Map, 2C. each) color in green crayon or water tint 
Egypt, in red Palestine, in indigo Mesopotamia, in yellow 
the lands beyond the Tigris eastward, in violet Greece, in 
black Asia Minor, in orange Italy. Put all rivers and seas 
in blue. Leave all the rest blank. 

2. Write the names and origin of all names of Palestine. 

3. Print on the map the chief physical features of the 
Old Testament world. 

4. Copy an outline map of Palestine (S. S. Commission) 
or a map in this book, or trace it if you cannot copy it. 

5. Why is the study of Bible geography of value? How 
did the land determine Bible history? 



CHAPTER II 



THE ZONES OF PALESTINE 

Detailed Study of Zones I, II, and part of III. 

The First Zone— THE MARITIME PLAIN. Here lie 
the sea-coast plains, along the eastern coast of the Mediter- 
ranean. At the northern portion this is a narrow strip of 
land, the cradle of those ancient mariners the Phoenicians; 
a fertile region, but too small for aught but a meager popu- 
See opp. p. 6 lation. Its principal cities were Tyre and Sidon. (See S. 

Mark 7 : 24.) It was in this locality that Christ met the 
Syrophoenician woman. 

In Syria, beyond the boundaries of Palestine proper, are 
two of the lofty parallel ranges of mountains, the Lebanon 
and the Anti-Lebanon. The former has an average height of 
7,000 feet, and is the starting-point of all the great Palestinian 
systems of mountains. The latter, is noted for Mt. Hennon, 
which rises 9,200 feet, and is generally regarded as the Mount 
of the Transfiguration of Christ. In its neighborhood is 
Caesar ea Philip pi, which we believe to be the farthest limit 
north of our Lord's missionary work. Through these moun- 
tains flows the Litany River, in Bible times termed the 
Leontes. 

Farther south, the Plain of Acre broadens out till it ends at 
See opp. p. 6 Mount Carmel, or the Caruiel range of mountains, as it really 
See opp. p. 6 is. Then comes the River Kishon, at the foot of this moun- 
tain range, "that ancient river"' (Judg. 5 : 21). Here De- 
borah ruled and Sisera, captain of Jabin's army, was delivered 
into her hands. (Judg. 4 : 4-15.) Here Elijah slew the 
prophets of Baal. (1 Kings 18 : 40.) Next is Caruiel, 
reaching 1,750 feet high; but slop-rig down to 500 as it 
meets the sea. Here Elijah lived (1 Kings 18 : 18 : 20) ; here 
he met Ahab ; and here he won the victory for Jehovah. 
6 



TYRE 



SIDON 
From the Sea 




MT. CARMEL 



RIVER KISHON 
Photo by S. U. Mitman 



JOPPA, OR JAFFA 



HOUSE OF SIMON 
Photo by Rev. S. U. Mitman 




CAESAREA IN PALESTINE CAESAREA 
Copyrighted by Underwood & Underwood St. Paul's Prison 



The Zones of Palestine 



7 



Below Carmel stretches the ever-widening fertile Plain of 
Sharon, with its forests and fruitful fields, its undulating 
flower-beds of vernal beauty, dotted with the "Tents of 
Kedar." Solomon refers to "the rose of Sharon" (Song of 
Sol. 2 : i). Isaiah refers to it frequently for its beauty and 
rich fertility (Isa. 33 : 9 ; 35 : 2 ; 65 : 10). A little farther 
south, it widens to twenty-five miles, and was the home for 
centuries of the warlike Philistines (from which the name 
Palestine, as we have said, was derived). In Old Testament 
times it was never inhabited by Hebrews. Even in Christ's 
time, though many Jews inhabited it, they felt like strangers 
in it. It was in all ages a famous war-path. Over it marched 
the armies of Thothmes, Rameses, Sennacherib, Cambyses, 
Alexander the Great, Pompey, and Napoleon. Like all coast 
plains, it was exposed to attack from all sides. This will 
account for the bravery developed in the hardy Philistine 
warriors. The sea-coast is remarkably regular, there being 
only one promontory or cape, where Carmel juts into the sea. 
There are few good harbors. We have noted Tyre and Sidon. 
Below are Ptolemais, Ccesarea, and Joppa (Jaffa). The See °PP- P- 7 
sea is shallow all along the coast. Ccesarea was built by See °pp- p- 7 
Herod in Roman times, and was of unusual beauty and wealth. 
S. Paul was a prisoner here for two weeks on his last voyage See °PP- P- 7 
to Rome. From Joppa, Jonah set sail to escape God (Jonah 
1:3) and centuries later S. Peter had his vision of the sheet, 
and his call to Cornelius and the Gentile world (Acts 10 : 
1-16). At Lydda (now Lod or Lud), S. Peter preached the See °pp- p- 10 
gospel. (Acts 9 : 32.) In Philistia, the chief cities are 
Gaza, in the southwest corner, three miles from the sea, See °pp- p- 10 
mentioned from earliest times down into the book of Acts 
and still a city to-day (see Gen. 10 : 19; Josh. 10 : 41 ; 11 : 
22 ; 13 : 3 ; 15 : 47 ; Judg. 1 : 18; 16 : 21 ; Acts 8 : 26). The 
reference in Acts is to the noteworthy baptism of the 
Ethiopian eunuch. Ashkelon was noted in Philistine times 
and in the days of the Crusades. Ashdod was the chief seat 
of the worship of Dagon, the fish-god. Ekron was the last 
resting-place of the Ark previous to its return. Gath, now un- 
known as to site, was the home of Goliath the giant. (1 Sam. 
17 : 4, 23 ; 1 Sam. 5 : 10.) 



8 



Students Historical Geography 



The Second Zone— THE SHEPHELAH. This is the 
district composed of low foothills lying between the Maritime 
Plain and the Central Uplands. It is an open, rolling region. 
Here in the days of the Judges raged the intermittent war- 
fare between the lowlanders and the highlanders. These 
foothills are about 500 feet only above sea-level. In the 
early times these combatants were Israelites and Canaanites ; 
later, they were Israelites and Philistines ; then the Maccabees 
fought here with the Syrians ; and in the time of the Cru- 
sades Richard of England and Saladin the Saracen led the 
opposing armies. The Shephelah proper lies only between 
Beersheba and the Valley of Aijalon. The word means Low 
Country, being lower than the neighboring mountains to the 
East. ' (See 2 Chron. 28 : 18.) The alley of Aijalon runs 
across the top of the Shephelah, just north of Jerusalem. 
Along this valley, Joshua pursued the Amorites, at the time 
when he bade the sun to stand still. (Josh. 10 : 1-14. ) 
Through this valley, the Philistines came to attack King- 
Saul, when Jonathan repelled them. (1 Sam. 13, 14.) Gezer, 
an important city of which King Horam was ruler, is at this 
valley, on the surrounding hills. (Josh. 10 : 33 ; 12 : 12.) 
Next, south from the Shephelah, lies the Valley of the Sorek, 
where Samson, born at Zorah, worked his wonderful deeds. 
Here too was Timnath, where ' Samson's first love dwelt. 
South of Sorek, was Beth-Shemcsh, to which the ark was 
brought from Ekron, and there still spread out wheat-fields 
.like those the lowing kine passed through. (1 Sam. 6.) A 
little farther south lies the Valley of Elah, a level plain, the 
battlefield where David killed the giant Goliath (1 Sam. 17). 
Near by is the Cave of Adullam, where David hid with his 
four hundred followers. (1 Sam. 22.) At the southern 
boundary of the Shephelah is the Brook Besor, while farther 
south still is the city of Beersheba, which marks the extreme 
limits of the Land of Israel. It was at different times the 
home of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It lay on the caravan 
highway, and was noted for its seven great wells. 

The Third Zone— THE CENTRAL PLATEAU. This is 
the rough, jagged, towering mountainous system, running 
north and south, between the Shephelah and Maritime Plain 



The Zones of Palestine 



9 



and the Valley of the Jordan River. It has three distinct 
divisions, each with clearly marked characteristics. They are 
known on New Testament maps as Galilee, Samaria, and 
Judea. 

Galilee is the most northern division. It is enriched by 
the streams that flow from Mt Hermon, making it well- 
watered and very fertile. The Le-ont.es, rising near ancient 
Baalbac, flows south through Coele-Syria (Hollow Syria) 
120 miles to the sea. Numerous brooks or wadies follow in 
parallel lines southward, ending with the River Kishon, at 
Carmel's base. The name Galilee means a round object or 
region, i.e., well-defined and distinct. It was thus first given 
to a small portion or spot and then extended to include more. 
(Josh. 20 : 7.) At first nations not of Israelitish descent 
dwelt in this region. Hence it was frequently called "Galilee 
of the Gentiles." (Isa. g : I.) The district reaches north to 
the Leontes, east to the Lake of Galilee and south to the 
Plain of Esdraelon. Upper Galilee was much higher than 
Lower Galilee, its mountains rising to 3,000 feet, while almost 
all mountains in Lower Galilee are below 2,000 feet. The 
mountains are in most cases broad plateaus, broken by wide, 
deep valleys. Of the mountains of Galilee, Mount Tabor See opp. p. 10 
(over 1,800 feet high), on the northeast of Esdraelon, shows 
out clearly. (Psa. 89 : 18; Jer. 46 : 18.) Here Deborah 
and Barak met Sisera (Judg. 4 : 6-14). (See also River 
Kishon, First Zone.) Little Hermon (1,800 feet) is known 
as the Hill of Moreh. (Judg. 7:1.) It is on the Plain, south- 
west of the Sea of Galilee. Endor is on the northern slope. 
The witch that Saul visited lived here. (1 Sam. 28 : 7-25.) 
Seven or eight miles away is Gilboa, where Saul camped. In 
Old Testament times the tribes of Asher and Naphtali set- 
tled in this section. After the early settlement there is little 
mention of Galilee for years, until Christ's time, when a large 
portion of His ministry was located here. Of the cities, the 
following are of most importance : 

Kedesh (Kedesh-N aphtali) was both a city of refuge and 
a fortified city, west of the head of Lake Hiileh (Lake 
Merom). It was the site of the old Temple of the Sun, the 
ruins of which are still there, and the capital or sanctuary 



IO 



Students' Historical Geography 



of the great tribe of Naphtali. It was also the home of 
Barak. (See Josh. 20 : 7; 21 : 32; Judg. 4 : 10; 2 Kings 15 : 
29; Judg. 4:6; Josh. 19 : 32.) Shunem lies about eight 
miles south of Mount Tabor. It belonged to the tribe of 
Issachar, and is noted for the story of Elisha given in 2 
Kings 4 : 8. Three miles south of Kedesh is Hazor, once a 
royal town, now a collection of broken cisterns. It is of 
note in the Bible. (Josh. 11 : 10 ; 2 Kings 15 : 29.) 

See opp. p. 10 In Lower Galilee lies Nazareth, the home of S. Mary the 
Virgin and S. Joseph her husband ; the place where our Lord 
was reared to manhood. Although shut in by hills, it was the 
great junction town at which converged all the many caravan 
routes from lower Palestine and Egypt into Asia Minor and 
Assyria. From the heights of the Nazareth Range near by 
can be seen many of the famous places in upper Palestine. 
The scene of more than twenty battles, most momentous in 
the history of the Chosen People, lay before our Master's 
vision as he climbed His native hills around. Here he dwelt 

See opp. p. 11 until thirty years of age. Cana of Galilee was a little north 

See opp. p. 11 of Nazareth and nearer to Capernaum, which lay on the Lake 
of Galilee. It was the town of Christ's first miracle (the 
wedding feast) and also the home of Nathanael the disciple. 

See opp. p. 11 (See S. John 2 : 1 1 ; 4 : 46 ; 2 : 1 ; 21 : 2.) Nain is on the 
northwest of Little Hermon. Here Christ raised the widow's 
son to life. (S. Luke 7 : 11.) 

The highest point in Galilee is Mt. Jebel Jermuk, northwest 
of the Sea of Galilee, 4,000 feet high. A few miles west of 
the middle of the same Lake stands the Kurun Hattin or 
Horns of Hattin, a mountain 1,200 feet high, with two peaks. 
It is known as the Mount of the Beatitudes, and on its side 
our Lord preached his famous sermon on the Mount. Here 
too He fed the five thousand. (S. Matt. 5, 6, 7.) Hattin .is 
also the historic landmark that overlooks the spot where the 
army of the Crusaders made its last memorable stand, and 
was almost utterly annihilated by the vengeful hosts of 
Saladin, in 1187 A. D. Esdraelon itself we shall consider as 
the Sixth Zone of Palestine. 



LYDDA 



GAZA ROAD 
Photo by Williams, Brown & Earle 




MT. TABOR 
Plains of Esdraelon 



NAZARETH 



CANA OF GALILEE 



SITE OF CAPERNAUM 




The Zones of Palestine 



Questions and Manual Work on Chapter II. 

1. Learn to make a map of Palestine quickly. Fold a sheet 
of paper of the proportion of 8 x 12 inches in three divisions 
lengthwise. Unfold and again fold three times sideways. 
This gives nine squares. Draw the coast line of the Carmel 
Range in the upper middle square. Continue coast line to the 
middle of right-hand center square, lower edge. In lower right- 
hand corner of upper middle square place the Sea of Galilee, 
and at the center of its right edge Lake Huleh. Continue 
Jordan River southward in middle square, and place Dead Sea 
in upper right-hand of lower-center square. Then mark the 
zones on the map in colors, searching the chapters forward 
to find their limits. Use crayons or water colors. 

2. Mark on First Zone, and print names of all cities, places, 
mountains, and rivers mentioned in the lesson. 

3. Make a list, from west to east, and from north to south, 
of these same places, and write opposite each name the event 
in Bible history connected with it, and in a third column the 
Bible reference. Do not fail to look up always the Bible 
reference and read the passage over. 

4. Do the same (as under 2 and 3) for each division of the 
Second and of the Third Zones. 



CHAPTER III 



THE THIRD ZONE OF PALESTINE. SAMARIA 

Beyond the Plain of Esdraelon, we come to the second 
division of this Third Zone of the Central Plateau, i.e. 
Samaria. As we pass southward we enter a land of fruitful 
valleys and rounded hills, covered to their tops with trees 
and fields, and well-watered by copious springs. The in- 
fluence of this physical environment upon the inhabitants is 
most clearly marked. They became a pleasure-loving people, 
eager for ease and enjoyment, running after idols and wealth, 
making alliances with powerful nations that might enrich or 
protect them. Thus Samaria became a buffer-state, between 
the northern and the southern nations. Egypt and Judea on 
the south used it as a huge battlefield when in conflict with 
Syria, Assyria, Persia, etc., on the north. Samaria conse- 
quently always suffered. 

See opp. p. ii As we pass below Bethel, the landscape becomes more grim, 
the valleys narrower, more rocks appear, and stern Judea, 
the land of the shepherd, in contrast to Samaria, the haven 
of the farmer, lies before us. Judea spelt a desperate strug- 
gle, and it alone could produce men of courage and deep 
intensity, such as Isaiah, Amos, and the like. The real 
stamina of all Palestine was developed and nourished in this 
southern section of the wild Judean plateau. Let us traverse 
Samaria and Judea in detail. 

See opp. p. 14 Samaria of the New Testament was always Mount 
Ephraim of the Old. Here Ephraim, half of Manasseh, and the 
tribe of Dan dwelt. Many of the greatest events of Bible 
history occurred within its borders. After the captivity of 
the Northern Kingdom of Israel it was filled by foreign peo- 
ples sent in by the Assyrians and Babylonians. At Christ's 
coming, "the Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans," re- 
12 



The Third Zone of Palestine. Samaria 1 3 



garding them and their land as polluted. Samaria stretched 
from the edge of Esdraelon on the north to below Bethel on 
the south, and from the Jordan to the Plain of Sharon. Al- 
though only about twenty-five miles in length, the Jews were 
so averse to passing through it that they usually crossed the 
Jordan at the Beth-shan Fords and recrossed at Jericho, in 
journeying from Galilee to Judea. 

Samaria has an average elevation of about 2,000 feet above 
sea-level, being not so much a mountain mass as a series of 
high ridges, with plains and elevated valleys between. The 
slope on the west, towards the Maritime Plain, is gradual ; 
while that on the east to the Jordan River is exceedingly 
steep and precipitous. In the southern part, it rises 2,800 feet 
in only nine miles. The chief mountains of Samaria are 
Mounts Carmel, Gilboa, Ebal, Gerizim and Baal-Hazor. 
Mount Carmel is a ridge rather than a single mountain, just 
as are Mt. Hermon and Mt. Lebanon. It runs in from the 
only cape or promontory of the sea-coast, below Phoenicia, 
with . the River Kishon at its base, in a general direction 
midway between the foot of the Sea of Galilee and the head 
of the Dead Sea. It is about 12 miles long. At the south- 
eastern end, where it slopes out into low hills, lies the rich 
Valley of Dothan, in which Joseph found his brethren tend- See opp. p. 14 
ing their flocks the day they sold him as a slave. (Gen. 
37 : 17.) The Carmel range is of limestone, honeycombed 
with long, winding caves. Carmel means "Park," and in the 
Hebrew it is usually "The Park." (See Isa. 35 : 2 ; Cant. 
7:5; Amos 1:2.) The mountains became a sanctuary or 
holy spot, in which worship was offered both to Jehovah and 
to idols. (1 Kings 18 : 19.) Mount Gilboa is a barren peak, See opp. p. 14 
1,700 feet high, running as a ridge along ten miles, edging 
the southern border of the Plain of Esdraelon. Here oc- 
curred the defeat and death of Saul and Jonathan. (2 Sam. 
1 : 17-27.; Here too Gideon gathered his little army of the 
faithful three hundred. (Judg. 6-8.) Mount Ebal and Mount 
Gerizim lie about the center of Samaria, Ebal (mount of 
cursing) lay northward; while Gerizim (mount of blessing) 
lay southward, with the bases not more than a quarter of a 
mile apart. The valley and city of Shechem lay between See opp. p. 14 



14 Students' Historical Geography 



them. Ebal is 3,076 feet high ; Gerizim is 2,848 ; while the val- 
ley is 1,672 feet. Into this valley, Joshua led the entire as- 
semblage of Israelites after the crossing of the Jordan. All 
came, men, women, and children. The Levites stood in the 
Valley, with the tribes, half-and-half on the mountains on 
either side. The Levites read the curses of the law on sin, 
the tribes on Ebal replied in answer "Amen." They then 
read the blessings of the law on virtue, and the tribes on 
Gerizim replied "Amen.'' Later on, before his death, Joshua 
again gathered the people here, to listen to his parting coun- 
sels. (See Deut. 27; Josh. 8, 24.) Some years later, Jotham 
(Judg. 9) told the men of Shechem his parable of the trees 
choosing a king, speaking from a bluff near by, and then 
ran away to escape their anger. In the period of the res- 
toration of Jerusalem, after the exile, the Samaritans were 
rejected from participation in the worship of the Temple at 
Jerusalem. They then set up a temple on Mount Gerizim. 
When Christ met the woman of Samaria, she spoke to Him 
of that worship, saying "Our fathers worshipped in this moun- 
tain." (S. John 4 : 20.) That temple however had been de- 
stroyed 170 years before. Shechem has had many names. 
Its present name is Nablous. It is also practically the site of 
See opp. p. 15 Sychar, where Jacob's Well stands, and where our Lord met 
the Samaritan Woman, referred to above. It has been the 
common opinion that Shechem and Sychar were the same : 
but much recent research seems to indicate that they were 
two separate towns, Sychar being about two miles to the 
southeast of Shechem. Sychar has been identified with As- 
kar, at the base of Mount Ebal. The Samaritan name She- 
chem closely resembled Sychar, and the two were confounded 
by the Crusaders, so that Shechem was said to be Sychar. 
Explorations have made the situation of Jacob's Well one 
of the most assured spots in Palestine, and located Askar 
and Sychar as identical. The proximity of the two towns 
however makes them practically one situation. At Shechem, 
Abimelech, the usurper, set up his brief kingdom. Another 
usurper, Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, was crowned here by 
the Ten Tribes. (1 Kings 12 : 25.) Another name seems 
to have been Neapolis, in the Grecian Period. In the early 




BATTLEFIELD OF GIDEON 
Copyrighted by Underwood & Underwood 



SHECHEM 
Copyrighted by Underwood & Underwood 



SYCHAR 
Copyrighted by Underwood & Underwood 



JACOB'S WELL 




JEZREEL 
Photo by S. U. Mitman 



RAMAH 



The Third Zone of Palestine. Samaria 1 5 



dawn of the history of Israel, Abram, coming across the 
Jordan, built his first altar to God, and rested in Shechem. 
(Gen. 12 : 7.) Before the exodus was completed by the 
conquest of Canaan, the people regarded it as holy. (Deut. 
11 : 29; Josh. 24 : 32.) Near it were Joseph's Tomb (Gen. 
33 : 19; S. John 4 : 6) and Jacob's Well. Baal-Hazor, twenty See opp. p. 15 
miles south of Gerizim, five miles north of Bethel, is the 
highest mountain of Samaria, 3,300 feet. On its slope Ab- 
salom had his sheep-shearing farm, where at a great feast he 
had summoned, he treacherously killed his brother Amnon. 
(2 Sam. 13 : 2-29.) 

Among other cities to be considered is Jezreel, seated on a See o p. p. 15 
foothill of Mount Gilboa. It commanded a vista over the 
entire valley of Jezreel. (2 Kings 9 : 17.) Ahab and Jezebel 
made it their capital, when that wicked king reigned in Is- 
rael. His royal palace stood on the eastern wall of the 
city, and from its window Jezebel was cast down to the 
hungry dogs below, in the open space where the city refuse 
was thrown. (2 Kings 9 : 30-35; 1 Kings 21 : 1.) The 
vineyard of Naboth was hard by the palace. The modern 
name is Zerin, though only a collection of ruined huts re- 
mains. Tirzah is another city of this region, probably near 
Shechem, though its site is not yet definitely fixed. It was 
noted for its beauty and was, at one time, the second royal 
city. Zimri was besieged there, and to avoid capture, set 
fire to his palace and was burned himself. (Song of Sol. 
6:4; 1 Kings 14 : 17: 15 : 33; 16 : 18.) Six miles north- 
west of Shechem and twenty-three miles from the sea- 
coast, lies the Mount or Hill of Samaria, standing isolated 
and alone in the midst of a wide green basin. King Omri. 
the father of Ahab, bought it of Shemer, its owner, for two 
talents of silver. From the name of its owner, Omri gave the 
town the title of Shomeron, which became altered to Samaria. 
From that time on it was the capital of the Northern King- 
dom of Israel. The city was almost impregnable. It with- 
stood two severe sieges, 901 and 910 B. C., and Shalmaneser 
finally took three years to capture it. (1 Kings 20 : 1; 2 
Kings 6 : 24-27 : 20 ; 18 : 9, 10.) Under Ahab and Jezebel, it 
became the center for an ornate idolatrous worship, in its most 



1 6 



Students Historical Geography 



licentious forms. (Isa. 28 : 1-4.) Near the time of Christ 
it was rebuilt by King Herod, and named Sebaste, the Greek 
of Augustus, equivalent to Augusta. The colonnades and pil- 
lars of Herod, all in ruins, still remain standing, as a mute 
witness to the city's pristine grandeur. The old name clung 
to it, and it was known in Christ's time as Samaria. S. Philip 
preached with great success in the city in its power, "there 
was great joy in the city." (Acts 8 : 5-8.) The ruins 
of the Church of St. John the Baptist, built by the Cru- 
saders, still stand upon the slope of the hill, erected in 
the twelfth century. It ran more than 3,000 feet with 
its sweeping colonnade. The remains of an old reservoir, 
the Pool of Samaria, are also to be seen, where was once 
washed the blood-stained chariot of Ahab, when the infamous 
king met his doom. (1 Kings 22 : 38.) Well indeed has the 
prophecy of Micah the prophet been literally fulfilled. (Micah 
1 : 1-6.) 

Shiloh, now called Seilun, lies in a secluded valley, twelve 
miles southeast of Shechern, nine miles north of Bethel. Its 
site is definitely named in Judges 21 : 19. Its ruins have 
been positively identified. 

For about 400 years, in the period of the Judges, Shiloh 
was the seat of the tabernacle worship, and the Ark of the 
Covenant was kept here. It was the most esteemed sanctuary 
of the whole land. (Josh. 18; Judg. 21 : 19.) In later 
years the ark was lost to Shiloh through its capture by the 
Philistines. (1 Sam. 4.) When the tribe of Benjamin had 
been all but exterminated by the other tribes, the men 
repaired to Shiloh and captured the young women of the 
town, to be their wives, and so rehabilitate the tribe. (Judg. 
21 : 19-23.) 

At Shiloh, Joshua completed the division of the land 
among the tribes. (Josh. 18 : 6.) Here Eli ministered as 
high priest, and Samuel grew up as a child. At Shiloh lived 
the prophet Ahijah, whom the wife of Jeroboam came to 
visit, concerning the life of her sick son. (1 Kings 14 : 2.) 
Gilgal, seven miles north of Bethel, should be distinguished 
from the Gilgal near Jericho, where Israel encamped after 
crossing the Jordan. This northern Gilgal is the place where 



The Third Zone of Palestine. Samaria 1 7 



Samuel set up a school of the prophets, from which Elijah 
went to Bethel, and then on to Jericho, on his last visit to 
the "sons of the prophets." (2 Kings 2 : 1 ; 4 : 38.) 

Besides the rivers flowing into the Mediterranean, which 
take their rise in the mountains of Ephraim or Samaria, 
all of which we have studied under the Maritime Plain, we 
have one river of Bible mention, flowing eastward into the 
Jordan, the Farah. It rises at the base of Mount Ebal. 
It is "the waters of Enon," mentioned by S. John. 
(S. John 3 : 23.) 

Questions and Manual Work on Chapter III. 

1. What Old Testament events are connected with the 
places of the Maritime Plain? the Plain of Sharon? Philistia? 

2. What Old Testament events are connected with localities 
in the Shephelah? In Galilee? 

3. What New Testament events, if any, are connected with 
these several divisions? 

4. Draw an outline map of the region of Samaria, alone, 
making it on a scale at least four inches across. On it locate 
the places, mountains, rivers, etc., in proper order, by dot and 
name. 

5. Make a list, as in previous chapter, of places in order 
of events and Bible references. 



CHAPTER IV 



THE THIRD ZONE OF PALESTINE. CONTINUED. JUDEA 

The third great division, southward, of the Third Zone, 
that of the Central Plateau, is Judea,, that portion of Ca- 
naan which in the settlement of the land was assigned by 
Joshua to the tribes of Benjamin, Judah, Simeon, and Dan. 
Judah and Benjamin were the most important, and the former, 
in fact, the chief ruling tribe of all. Simeon seems to have 
had part of the dry South Land or Negeb, next the desert. 
Dan was west of Benjamin, between the valleys of Aijalon 
and Sorek. (Josh. 15-19.) All this territory became prac- 
tically the kingdom of Judah, the southern kingdom, after 
the division ensuing upon Solomon's death. It was called 
the Kingdom of Judah. After the return from exile it 
became Judea and its inhabitants Jews. The exceedingly 
mountainous character of this part of Palestine has ever 
made the sturdy nature of this people. Every nation and 
tribe that dwelt there developed hardihood and courage, 
high principles and noble morals. For many centuries, the 
inhabitants kept very much to themselves, hemmed in by 
rocky walls. They took no part in the wars of Gideon and 
Barak, and held aloof from either progress, conquest, or 
commerce. Yet this very isolation enabled Judea to hold out 
against the great world powers, Babylon, Assyria, Egypt, 
Rome, for a century and a half after the Northern Kingdom 
was extinct. The entire size of this territory was but thirty 
miles wide, from the Jordan to the Philistine Plain, and fifty- 
five miles long, from Geba to Beersheba, 1,500 square miles 
in all (see 2 Kings 23 : 8), less than half as large as the 
State of Rhode Island. Judea has always been a land of 
shepherds, although as a whole it is a rocky, barren, rugged 
land — mountains, wilderness, stones everywhere — and in the 
18 



The Third Zone of Palestine. Continued. Judea 19 



southern extremuy, wild, desolate, and uninviting. It is also 
an unusually dry section. In the whole length and breadth 
there are not more than six or seven streams that have water 
the entire year. Scanning the country in detail, from the 
north downwards, as we did the other sections, we would 
locate two towns by name, for their sites are uncertain, just 
below Gilgal, our last town in the Middle Section, Samaria. 
One of these towns is Gophna, probably the modern village 
of Jufna, the most northerly on the western plateau of Judea. 
It was called Ophni at the time of the conquest. (Josh. 
18 : 24.) It was the last halting-place of Titus on his ill- 
fated march to Jerusalem. Orplirah, the second, was a 
frontier town on the northeast corner, thirteen miles north 
of Jerusalem. It has been identified with Ephron or Ephraim, 
mentioned in 2 Chron. 13 : 19 and S. John 11 : 54, where 
Christ rested from the throng, after the raising of Lazarus. 

Bethel, "the house of God," modern Beitin, is on the main 
road, ten miles north of Jerusalem, seven south of Gilgal. 
The ridge of mountain on which the ruins of the ancient 
city still stand, is almost 2,900 feet above the sea. There 
are now, says Dr. Schaff, "about two dozen Moslem hovels, 
the ruins of a Greek church, a very large cistern, and wild 
rocks." Scarcely any spot in all the Holy Land has so many 
events gathered around it. Abraham first rested here on his 
journey south from Shechem. (Gen. 12 : 8.) Here Lot 
surveyed the land and selected his future residence. (Gen. 
13 : 1-10.) Here Jacob in his flight rested on a stone and 
dreamed his vision of angels. (Gen. 28 : 10-22.) It was 
one of Samuel's sacred sanctuaries. (Judg. 20 : 18, 26-28; 
21 : 4; 1 Sam. 7 : 16.) Jeroboam made it a city of idol 
worship. (1 Kings 12 : 27-29, 32, 33 ; 13 : 1-10.) Part of the 
time it was held by the Northern Kingdom and part by the 
Southern. (See Picture 15.) Ai or Hai, mentioned in Joshua 
8, is probably the heap of ruins two miles east of Bethel. 
Rock Rimmon, a small village four miles east of Bethel on the 
edge of the plateau on the side of a mountain sloping down to 
the great ravine filled with numberless caves is the spot to 
which the survivors of the tribe of Benjamin fled after the 
battles noted in Judges 20 : 28-47. Michmash (Mukmas) has 



20 



Students' Historical Geography 



been placed at the modern village four miles southeast of 
Bethel. The rocky gorge up which Jonathan climbed and the 
spot from which he began his perilous descent (i Sam. 14 : 
13) are both seen here. The Philistines had come to Michmash 
by way of the Valley of Aijalon, while the handful of soldiers 
belonging to Saul were encamped at Gibeah, on the other 
side of the gorge. The bravery of Jonathan and his armor- 
bearer saved the day for Israel. Here, too, Joshua had 
fought, in aid of his allies the Gibeonites. (Josh. 10 : 1-14.) 
Michmash was also on the route of the Assyrians, as they 
marched south, noted in Isaiah 10 : 28. After the exile the 
remnant of the tribe of Benjamin reoccupied the spot. 
(Neh. 11 : 31.) Geba or Jeba was on the south side of this 
same chasm, and at the time of Josiah was the frontier town 
of Judah. (2 Kings 23 : 8.) It was also again inhabited 
after the exile. Ramah of Benjamin, six miles south of 
Bethel, is one of the many Ramahs (high places) of the 
Old Testament, where sacrifices were offered. It is men- 
tioned several times in the Bible, but not with any very 
special event. (Look up 1 Kings 15 : 17, 22; Josh. 18 : 25; 
Judg. 4:5.) It is not the Ramah where Samuel was born. 
See opp. p. 15 (1 Sam. 1 : 1.) Gibeah of Benjamin, also known as Gibeah 
of Saul, may be the same as Geba ; but is most likely to be 
the name of a general district, including Geba and Gibeon, 
on the edge of the plateau. Here occurred the almost total 
destruction of Benjamin. (Judg. 19 and 20.) Here also 
was the lonely watch of Rizpah, the mother of the two 
young men hanged here. (2 Sam. 21 : 1-14.) Gibeon is to 
the west of Geba, on a hill about six miles from Jerusalem. 
At the foot of this hill is the Pooi of Gibeon, where the 
hosts of Abner and Joab met in battle. (2 Sam. 2 : 13.) 
It was the chief Hivite city that surrendered to Joshua. At 
this spot was fought the great battle of the Amorite Con- 
federac}^ which decided its fate, when the Amorites were 
driven headlong down the steep Beth-horon Pass. Read the 
thrilling account in Joshua 10 : 10, 11. At the great Stone 
of Gibeon Amasa was slain, and at the same spot, years 
later, his murderer, Joab, met his punishment by death at 
the hand of Benaiah, Solomon's captain. (2 Sam.. 20 : 10; 



The Tliird Zone of Palestine. Continued. Judea 2 1 

I Kings 2 : 29-34.) At Gibeon the Tabernacle was set up 
after Saul slew the priests ; and on the brazen altar in front 
of the Tabernacle, Solomon offered a thousand burnt-offer- 
ings, and here this same king made the choice of wisdom, 
above all other rewards. (Josh. 9 : 3-15; 2 Sam. 20 : 8; 
1 Kings 3:4.) Just south of Gibeon is Mizpah, but five 
miles northwest of Jerusalem. It is the highest point on 
the plateau, nearly 3,000 feet. Mizpah is identified as the 
Watch-Tower of Benjamin. It was the center to whicn the 
people gathered to consult regarding the rebellion of Ben- 
jamin (Judg. 20 : 1-11) ; and again to offer sacrifices (1. Sam. 
7:5) and to elect Saul their king. (1 Sam. 10 : 17.) It 
was also one of the three Judgment Cities of Samuel. 
(1 Sam. 7 : 16.) Gedaliah was killed here with his few 
followers around him. (2 Kings 25 : 22-25; Jen 41 : 1-8.) 
Nob, a priestly city, lies near by to the east, though its site 
is somewhat uncertain. (1 Sam. 21 : 1 ; 22 : 9.) Still east- 
ward is Anathoth, three miles northeast of Jerusalem, a 
Levitical town (Josh. 21 : 18), to which Abiathar was ban- 
ished (1 Kings 2 : 26), and the birthplace of Jeremiah the 
prophet. (Jer. 1 : 1.) 

Questions and Manual Work on Chapter IV. 

1. What do you consider the four chief localities and 
events of the First Zone of Palestine? Of the Second? 

2. What are the Divisions of the Third Zone? 

3. What are the chief localities of Galilee? Of Samaria? 

4. What territory did the third division of the Third 
Zone cover? 

5. What is the chief physical characteristic of this region? 
How did it affect the character of the inhabitants? 

6. Draw on the general map the places mentioned. 

7. Make a list of the events connected with them, and a 
column of the Bible references. 



CHAPTER V 



JERUSALEM AND ITS ENVIRONS 

We are now approaching the great city of all Palestine; 
See opp. p. 24 indeed, the most sacred city of all the world, Jerusalem, 
passing out of the country assigned to Benjamin into that 
belonging to the tribe of Judah. We shall consider certain 
mountains, rivers, and cities, in direct relation to this capital 
of the Southern Kingdom, in order " to fix them in mind 
more readily. 

Jerusalem is situated, roughly speaking, about one-third 
of the way across the head of the Dead Sea, towards the 
Mediterranean Sea. To be exact, it is on a mountain tableland, 
2,500 feet above the Great Sea and 3,800 feet above the Dead 
Sea, thirty miles from the former and eighteen miles from 
the latter. Ravines and gorges surround the city on every 
side, save the north. The Valley of J ehoshaphat, in which 
the River Kidron flows, is to the east, separating the town 
from the Mount of Olives. The western valley is the Valley 
of Hinnom. It separates Jerusalem from the Hill of Evil 
Counsel, where the plot to betray Christ was hatched, at the 
base of which is the Potter's Field, Aceldama or the Field 
of Blood, bought with the price of Judas' betrayal of our 
Lord. The lower part of the Valley of Hinnom was called 
Tophet. or the Place of Fire or Gehenna, and was used as a 
place for burning the refuse of the great city above. Let us 
now examine more closely some of these surrounding fea- 
tures, before studying the city. The Mount of Olives is a 
curved ridge, 2,637 feet high, to the east of Jerusalem. It 
was along this route that David passed when he fled from 
See opp. p. 24 Absalom. (2 Sam. 15 : 23, 30.) Here, in the Garden of Geth- 
semane, on its western slope, near Jerusalem, the Agony of 
our Blessed Lord took place. (S. Matt. 26; S. Mark 14; S. 
22 



Jerusalem and its Environs 



23 



Luke 24; Acts 1 : 12.) Two small mountain torrents, prac- 
tically not more than winter streams, flow from this western 
mountain region, in this locality, and empty eastward into the 
Dead Sea. One is the Brook Cherith, probably the present See opp. p. 24 
Wady Kelt, near Jericho. It was by this brook that Elijah hid 
from Ahab, and in his solitude was fed by God's ministrations. 
(1 Kings 17 : 3.) The second stream, the Kidron, flows 
through the Valley of Jehoshaphat, along the eastern side of 
the City of Jerusalem, between it and the Mount of Olives. 

Flowing southeasterly, it passes Bethlehem and runs through 
the crags and wilderness of Judea, ending with a dash over 
the rough rocks on the shore of the Dead Sea. The valley 
is referred to by Joel (Joel 3 : 2, 12) and is called else- 
where the King's Dale. (Gen. 14 : 17; 2 Sam. 18 : 18.) 
Rubbish to the depth of 70 or 80 feet has accumulated in this 
valley, and the original bed of the river has moved eastward 
as much as 70 feet, on account of the huge piles of debris 
that have poured down from the heights above. The Brook 
Kidron is mentioned often in Bible history. Over it the 
bridge crossed into the City of cities, and this bridge formed 
part of the path the Master and His Disciples trod each time 
they entered the Sacred City. Ezekiel's Vision pictures it, 
through his creative power, as a spiritual river, rising in a — — 
tiny stream from beneath the Temple and flowing, with ever- 
growing volume and power, until it empties as a mighty 
torrent into the sea below. This, of course, was imaginative ; 
but the symbolism of divine grace, to which it was applied, 
is forceful. (Ezek. 47 : 1-12.) The Wilderness of Judah, 
through which this river flows, called often the Jeshimon, is 
a long, narrow district, 10 miles wide by 35 miles long, 
lying on the western side of the Dead Sea. It is formed of 
plains of barren limestone rock, which mountain streams 
have furrowed with deep channels. It is a barren, desolate 
region, until the rainy season sets in, when, for a brief 
period, the "desert rejoices, and blossoms as the rose." 
(Isa. 35 : 1.) Somewhere in this wilderness was the cave 
where David cut off Saul's robe (1 Sam. 24 : 1-22) and 
where our Lord was tempted by Satan. (S. Matt. 3 : 1 to 4 : 1.) 
About twelve miles from Jerusalem, along the dreary gorge 



2 4 



Students' Historical Geography 



of the Kidron, on high rocks on the very edge of the gorge, 
stands the famous Monastery of Mar Saba, of the Greek 
Church, founded in the fifth century by S. Saba. There are 
only about 60 monks there now, though at one time it was 
filled with an assemblage of unusual men. Half way down 
this Wilderness of Jeshimon, the sea edge of the desert, is a 
fertile and wonderful oasis, called En-gedi, half a mile 
square, filled with delightful fruits and vineyards, made so 
by being in a hollow 400 feet lower than the surrounding 
plain, and so nourished with abundant water. (See Song of 
Solomon 1 : 14.) It is called to-day Ain Jidy. The old Bible 
name was Hazazon-tamar, or Hazazon of the Palm. (Gen. 
14 : 7; 2 Chron. 20 : 2.) Through the Pass of En-gedi, from 
the rugged plateau above, the hosts of Ammon and Moab 
climbed up from the Dead Sea and entered that plain near 
Tekoa, known as the ascent of Ziz. (2 Chron. 20 : 16-20.) 
A few miles south of En-gedi, back of the desert, about half- 
way between En-gedi and the lower end of the Dead Sea, 
stands Masada, which was the last refuge of the Jews after 
the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus (70 A. D.). It is one 
of the strongest natural fortresses in all the world, 1.300 feet 
higher than the surrounding land, and can be reached only 
by men in single file, climbing a narrow, step-cut rock. The 
Maccabees first made a fortress of this rock. Herod the 
Great fled there in danger. 

Returning to the country immediately around Jerusalem, 
See opp. p. 24 we note Bethany, on the road to Jericho, near the Kidron. 

two miles from Jerusalem, on the Mount of Olives. It was 
and is but a small village. Here lived S. Mary and S. Martha ; 
here Christ raised Lazarus, their brother, from the dead ; 
and here he often sojourned with the trio, and spent the last 
few nights previous to the Crucifixion. (S. John 11 : 1-44: 
S. Matt. 21 : 17 : S. Mark 11 : 12, 19.) The site of Bethphage. 
mentioned in connection with the Palm Sunday entry, is not 
definitely known, but is, of course, between Bethany and the 
Mount of Olives. 

We come now to the study of Jerusalem itself. The city 
has been known by a different name in each great period 
of its checkered history. In the Patriarchal time, as the seat 



JERUSALEM 



GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE 



: 




BROOK CHERITH BETHANY 



Jerusalem and its Environs 



25 



of Melchizedek's priestly kingdom, it was called Salem, pro- 
nounced Shalem. (Gen. 14 : 18; Psa. 76 : 2.) During the 
Jebusite period it was known as Jehus. (Judg. 19 : 10.) 
After its capture by David, the first time it was held by the 
Israelites, Jerusalem, properly J eru-shalaim. It is first men- 
tioned thus in Judges 1 : 7, 8, where it may have come by 
euphony from J ebus-shalem. It means thus "possession of 
peace." It was called by the prophets by the poetic name 
Ariel, "the lion of God" (Isa. 29 : 1), and in S. Matt. 
4:5, 27 : 53, the "Holy City." After it was destroyed by 
Titus (70 A. D.) it was rebuilt by the emperor Aelius Had- 
rianus, A. D. 135, and named Aelia Capitolina, a name it held 
till 536 A. D., when it resumed its old name, Jerusalem. It 
is now named by the Arabs, El Khuds esh-SJierif, "the Holy 
City," shortened to El Khuds. 

We would recall that the Valley of J ehoshaphat, through 
which the Kidron flows, runs around the east and southeast ; 
the Valley of Hinnom (Josh. 15 : 8) around the south and 
southwest, joining the former valley at Siloam, which we 
shall study later; and the Valley of Gihou (1 Kings 1 : 33) 
completes the western side, though some place this in the 
lower part of the Kidron Valley. A shallow valley, the Ty- 
ropoeon, shaped like a new moon, runs through the city 
itself, dividing the lower part into two hills. The entire 
city is composed of four hills. Towards the southwest, be- 
tween the Tyropoeon and the Valley of Hinnom, was Mount 
Zion, 2,540 feet high. It was the highest of the hills and 
the one on which most of the city was built in Christ's 
time. On it stood the old Jebusite fortress, which was at 
last captured by David. Zion was known as the Upper City 
and also as the City of David. (2 Sam. 5 : 7-9; 1 Chron. 
11 : 4-7.) The Palace of Herod, Agrippa's Palace, and Da- See opp. p. 25 
vid's Tomb were all on this mountain. Most of this portion 
is now the Armenian Quarter. The Armenian Convent, the See opp. p. 25 
largest modern building in Jerusalem ; the English Church, the 
Church of St. James, and the Environments of the Holy Sepul- 
chre are all in this quarter. On the northwest hill is Acra, 
2,490 feet high, known as the Lower City, the Christian 
Quarter. In the lower southwest corner of this quarter is 



26 Students' Historical Geography 

See opp. p. 25 the Pool of Hesekiah, a large reservoir with a capacity of 
nearly three million gallons. It is supposed to be the "pool 
and conduit" constructed by Hezekiah to bring water to the 
city. (2 Kings 20 : 20.) The water comes through the con- 
duit from the Mamilla Pool, far up in the Valley of Hinnom. 

See opp. p. 25 The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is almost in the center 
of this quarter, and is really a collection of several churches 
and chapels. It seems to be proved without much doubt 
that it is not the actual locality of the burial-place of our 

See opp. p. 28 Lord, for a great many satisfactory reasons. It could not 
have stood without the second great wall of the city, without 
a formation in the wall-line that would have been ridiculous. 
The tomb is unlike the hundreds of rock-hewn tombs all around 
that locality and does not agree with the Bible story, and the 
accumulation of a large number of other impossible sites 
fixed around it, for manifest convenience, all tend to dis- 
credit in every way this as the true spot. As this site, with 
this church and a former one, has been the same since the 
days of Constantine, it would seem that we do not know 
just where the real tomb was. Perhaps this is wisely so, 
since God has apparently intended that none of the materials 
of sacred story should come down to man for superstitious 
veneration and perhaps idolatry. The Moslem {Moham- 
medan) Quarter lies northeast, and is the largest division 
of the modern city. Here are located the Governor's Palace, 
the Church of S. Anne, the Pool of Bethesda, and the Via 

See opp. p. 28 Dolorosa. In the wall of this quarter is S. Stephen's Gate, 
through which S. Stephen is supposed to have passed on the 

See opp. p. 28 way to his fateful stoning. The Pool of Bethesda has been 
recently excavated, near the Church of S. Anne, with a flight 
of twenty-four stone steps leading down to it, and supporting 
arches and porches along the sides. The Crusaders built a 
church over the pool, and a fresco on the wall of the crypt 
shows an angel troubling the water, a manifest indication that 
they were certain of the right site. The Via Dolorosa, along 
which our Blessed Lord is supposed to have passed on the 
way to Calvary, runs from the Governor's Palace to the 
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, as we have it placed to-day. 
Under the rock surface of the northern part of this section 



Jerusalem and its Environs 



27 



lie the Royal Quarries, from which the huge stones used in 
the construction of Solomon's Temple were undoubtedly cut. 

Questions and Manual Work on Chapter V. 

1. Transfer localities noted on special map of Samaria to 
the general map you are making. 

2. Get an outline map of Jerusalem (Bailey Series, S. S. 
Commission) and locate carefully, with dot and name, (a) the 
chief places outside the city walls, (b) the four divisions of 
the city itself, and the sites mentioned in the first three of 
them. 

3. Make a list of places and events, as in previous Chap- 
ters, with Bible reference for each. 

4. If time, try to mold a relief map in sand, clay or plasti- 
cine of the city and its valleys. 



CHAPTER VI 



JERUSALEM, CONTINUED. FOURTH QUARTER AND 
SURROUNDING ROADS 

The last Quarter of Jerusalem lies to the southeast, be- 
tween the Tyropoeon Valley and the Kidron Valley. It is 
Mount Moriah. On the northern corner is the site of the 
Temple and the southern section was known as the Hill 
Orphel. It is to-day the Jewish Quarter. It contains several 
Synagogues ; but has no large buildings. Its streets are dark 
and narrow, densely populated, with buildings close together. 
Over the Temple Area, originally a sharp-pointed rock rising 
many feet above the surrounding land, but later made level 
by a wall 70 feet high, rilled in with stones and earth, is a 
raised platform of almost five acres, paved with white marble. 
The original rock rises through this platform fifteen feet 
high. Tradition says that here Abraham sought to sacrifice 
Isaac; later it was the Threshing Floor of Araunah (1 Chron. 
21 : 20; 2 Sam. 24 : 18-20) ; and still later the site of the 
Holy of Holies of the Temple. On this sacred spot have 
stood the Temples of Solomon, 1,000 B. C. ; of Nehemiah 
(2 Chron. 3:1), often known as the Temple of Zerubbabel 
(586 B. C.) ; the Temple of Herod (time of Christ) ; and is 
now occupied by the wonderful structure, the fane of the 
Mohammedans, the most beautiful building in Jerusalem, 

See opp. p. 28 the octagonal Dome of the Rock, often but wrongly called the 
Mosque of Omar. Next after Mecca it is to the Moslems 
the most sacred spot in all the world, and "after Cordova, the 
most beautiful in any land." From the great wall to the west 
ran a bridge spanning the Tyropoeon, one of the remains of 
the arches being discovered recently by Dr. Robinson, and 

See opp. p. 29 named after him, Robinson's Arch. The Wailing Place of the 
Jews, gigantic stones of the wall on the eastern boundary of 
28 



CHURCH OF THE HOLY 
SEPULCHRE 
Interior 



ARCH OF ECCE HOMO 




POOL OF BETHESDA 



MOSQUE OF OMAR 



Fourth Quarter and Surrounding Roads 29 



the Quarter, is the place of weekly assemblage of the He- 
brews, who weep over the lost glory of the Sacred City. The 
Place of the Crucifixion of our Lord, Calvary, is pretty See opp. p. 29 
definitely settled in a rounded knob or hill, outside the Damas- 
cus Gate (the shape of a skull), north of the Mohammedan See opp. p. 29 
Quarter, not far from the Grotto of Jeremiah, outside the 
City Wall. The water supply of Jerusalem came partly from 
natural springs and partly from reservoirs collecting rain 
water. The Pool of Siloam lies on the southeast of the city See opp. p. 29 
in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Kidron) near the mouth of the 
Tyropoeon Valley. It received intermittent supplies of water 
from a spring on the northeast of the city, brought down by 
a long underground aqueduct. Tophet, or Gehenna, was a 
name for the lower basin of the Valley of Hinnom. Here 
were practised the awful rites of Moloch, and, later on, it 
was used as a place in which to burn the offal of the great 
city, so that a perpetual fire and smoke arose, and its name 
naturally became a synonym for the Place of Punishment. 
(See 2 Kings 23 : 10; Isa. 30 : 33; 66 : 24; Jer. 19. : 6, etc.) 
The Fountain of the Virgin is the only spring of running 
water in or about Jerusalem. It issues from a hidden source, 
under the foot of Mt. Orphel, about 950 feet south of the 
city gate. It is probably the "Fountain of Siloam," referred 
to by Josephus, the En Rogel, or Spring of the Fuller men- 
tioned frequently in the Old Testament, and the source or 
headwaters of the Pool of Siloam. The Village of Siloam See opp. p. 32 
is perched on a lofty cliff, across the Kidron, opposite this 
Fountain. It is mentioned in S. Luke 13 : 4, in connection 
with the fall of its tower. The Pool of Siloam at the mouth 
of the Valley is fed by a long underground aqueduct, re- 
cently discovered and explored, from the Fountain above 
noted. At En Rogel, Adonijah held his feast. (1 Kings 
1 : 19.) Solomon was anointed by the Pool of Siloam (1 
Kings 1 : 38-46.) The canal or rock-hewn aqueduct is 67 
feet long, so that the distance is not very great from these 
several sites. (See also Josh. 15 : 7 ; 18 : 16; 2 Sam. 17 : 17.) 
The Fountain was probably the Upper Gihon and the Pool 
the Lower Gihon. (See 2 Chron. 32 : 30; Isa. 7 : 3.) The 
recently recovered Pool is surrounded by massive stone steps, 



50 



Students' Historical Geography 



recalling Nehemiah 3 : 15 and the descent of the Blind Man. 
(S. John 9:7.) It was the Pool from which the golden 
pitcher of water was brought on the last, great day of the 
Feast of Tabernacles. (S. John 7 : 37.) 

Having thus explored Jerusalem and its immediate en- 
virons, let us glance back at the City of cities, e'er we follow 
and examine the six chief roads leading from its portals. It 
was an almost impregnable city in Bible times, particularly 
in the period of the Old Testament. Encircling ravines, 
much deeper then than now, surrounded it on three sides. 
On the east, south, and west, it was practically unassailable, 
owing to the combined natural ravine-defenses and the walls 
erected above them. On the north there is no natural break 
between the City and the surrounding plateau. Before the 
siege of Titus (A. D. 70), this quarter was protected by 
three massive rows of walls, at some distance from each 
other, with towers and deep moats or ditches. Each time 
these walls were broken down by enemies they were rebuilt, 
not always precisely in the same spot however, so that iden- 
tification of the old lines to-day, for certain periods, is some- 
what doubtful. Thus the Jebusites were able to hold it a long 
period, and even sent a mocking defiance to David. (2 Sam. 
5 : 6.) 

Six roads diverge from the Sacred City in as many direc- 
tions. We shall note them and follow several to important 
neighboring towns. The Northern Road starts from the 
Damascus Gate and runs straight north, through Shechem to 
Damascus. All the important towns along this route have 
been visited by us in our previous chapters. The Eastern 
Road traverses the region of crags and caves of robbers 
which have ever frequented its pathway since the days of 
the Good Samaritan, the road leading down to Jericho,, a 
continuous descent from 2.700 feet above the Sea to 1,300 
feet below it in a distance of but twenty miles. It is the road 
See opp. p. 32 around the Mount of Olives to Bethany, on its slope. The 
Southern Road follows the crest of hills to Hebron. On it 
are several important sites not yet considered. Just south 
of the City is the Plain of Rephaim, where David twice over- 
came the Philistines, after the capture of Jerusalem. (2 Sam.. 



Fourth Quarter and Surrounding Roads 3 1 



5 : 18-25.) Six miles southeast of Jerusalem, on this road, 

is Bethlehem, one of the three most important cities in all the See opp p. 32 

world, Jerusalem and Nazareth being the other two. Here See opp. p. 32 

lived Jesse and David, and here was born the great Son of 

David, Christ our Lord. It stands on the side and summit 

of a steep hill, and to-day has about 8,000 inhabitants. In a 

cave near this village, Jerome wrote his Vulgate translation See opp. p. 33 

of the Holy Bible, the standard version of the Roman Church, 

The old name of the town was Ephrath. About a mile from 

the town is shown Rachel's tomb. (Gen. 48 : 7.) Bethlehem 

was the home of Boaz, the site of the exquisite story of Ruth 

and Xaomi. (See Ruth. Also S. Luke 2 : 4-14.) Just a 

little beyond Bethlehem lies the Valley of Elah, in which 

David fought with Goliath of Gath, leader of the Philistines. 

(1 Sam. 17.) Passing on through the Jeshimon, or "the 

Waste," the desolate region south, the Wilderness of Judea 

in which lay the Mount of the Temptation, we come to He- See opp. p. 33 

bron, eighteen miles below Jerusalem, one of the most ancient 

towns in the world, occupied before the days of Abraham. In 

the Bible, it is called the Vale of Hebron (Gen. 37 : 14), and 

the expanse north of the town is called the Plain of Mamre. 

Hebron was built seven years before the town of Tanis or 

Zoan in Egypt. (Num. 13 : 22.) Abraham dwelt here, the See opp. p. 33 

Patriarchs were buried here, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph called 

it their home. (Gen. 37 : 14.) It was a Hittite city in the 

time of Abraham and a stronghold later of the Anakim. At 

the Conquest it went to Caleb and became a City of Refuge. See opp. p. 33 

(Josh. 14 : 10-15.) David reigned first at Hebron and here 

Absalom set up his rebellion. (2 Sam. 5 : 5 ; 15 : 7-12.) 

The Southwestern Road runs from Jerusalem down "to 
Gaza, which is desert." (See map.) (Acts 8 : 26.) It 
traverses ravines and deserts and has no towns along the 
route. The Western Road runs to Joppa on the sea-coast. 
Four miles or more from the Sacred City it reaches Emmaus, 
recently identified. This is the town and this the road where 
the Risen Lord appeared to his two disciples as they journeyed 
from the Capital the evening of his Resurrection. (S. Luke 
24 : 13.) Kirjath-jearim, where the Ark rested when it was 
brought from the Philistines at Beth-shemesh lies along this 



32 



Students' Historical Geography 



road, (i Sam. 6 : 21 ; 2 Sam. 6 : 2.) 77;<? Northwestern Road 
emerges from the Northern Road just beyond Gibeah, and 
winds down the hills to Joppa. On it are Mizpah, Gibeon, 
and Beth-horon, all of which we have visited. 

One other city only remains to be considered, Beer-sheba, 
which marks the southern limit of the country, far south, on 
the great highroad between Palestine and Egypt. 

It was at various times the home of Abraham, Isaac, and 
Jacob. Abraham's wells are still there. (Gen. 21 : 31.) It 
was the center of patriarchal history. Here occurred most 
of the events mentioned in their lives. (Look up carefully 
Gen. 21 : 33; 28 : 10 ; 46 : i ; 22 : 3, 19; 25 : 34; 27 : 23 ; 
Josh. 19 : 2; Judg. 20 : 1 ; 1 Sam. 3 : 20 ; 1 Sam. 8 : 2.) 
Hither Elijah fled from the wrath of Jezebel. (1 Kings 
19 : 3.) Later it became a seat of idolatrous worship and 
was severely denounced by God's prophets. (Amos 5:5; 
8 : 14 ; 2 Kings 23 : 8.) All this south country, centering 
at Beer-sheba, was called the Xegeb, meaning "dry," border- 
ing on the Arabian Desert, a dry, parched land. The nature 
of the country demanded a nomadic life. Consequently its 
See opp. p. 36 inhabitants always were a roving people. Kadesh-Barnea, 
still farther south, 48 miles from Beer-sheba, almost out of 
the Negeb, has been identified recently. Ain Qadis or Ain 
Quadis had been located in 1842 and then lost track of, 
until the present generation. Most of the events in Numbers 
13-20 (which see and read) occurred here. Mount Hor, where 
Moses viewed the Promised Land is just above it. (See 
Deut. 10 : 6 and Num. 20 : 22-28.) 

Questions and Manual Work on Chapter VI. 

1. Draw from memory a rough outline map of Jerusalem, 
and locate the surroundings. Make the same on the sand 
table. 

2. Tell or write all you know of the several Temples that 
have stood on the rock in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem. 

3. With what localities is the name Siloam connected? 

4. Write down the name of each road diverging from the 
City and tabulate, in order, the chief places and the events 
and Bible references. 




BETHLEHEM 



CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY 
Interior 



FIELD OF THE SHEPHERDS 



HEBRON 




MT. OF TEMPTATION TOMBS OF THE KINGS 

Photo by S. U. Mitman 



CHAPTER VII 



THE FOURTH ZONE OF PALESTINE. THE JORDAN 
VALLEY TO THE GHOR 

The Fourth great Zone of Palestine, to the east, is the 
VALLEY OF THE JORDAN RIVER, a vast depression or 
rift, extending north and south, practically the entire length 
of the country. The Valley itself is the largest and most 
wonderful in the world, extending from the foot of the 
Taurus Mountains to the Gulf of Akabah, a distance of 550 
miles. There are only three other such tracts comparable to 
it, one in Asia, near the Caspian Sea ; one in the Sahara in 
Africa; and one in southeast California. 

In ancient times, the whole of Palestine was undoubtedly 
under the ocean. Then came the upheavals, causing moun- 
tains on either side, with a fall or fracture forming the 
gigantic valley. At the Dead Sea it reaches a depression 
of 1,300 feet, the lowest valley in the world. Professor George 
Adam Smith well says : "there may be something on the 
surface of another planet to match the Jordan Valley, — 
there is nothing on this." 

Let us study this unique region more closely. The name 
Jordan means "the Descender" or "the Down-comer," be- 
cause of the rushing descent of the river. The Jordan has See opp. p. 36 
three (some say four) sources, small streams far up north in 
the Hermon Range that unite to form the Upper Jordan. 
The longest of these streams, forty miles long, rises 1,700 
feet above the sea level, in the Fountain of Hash any, at the 
base of a cliff near the village of Hasbeiya on the western side 
of Mount Hermon. The largest branch is the Leddan, rising 
at the site of the ancient city of Dan, in a clear, deep pool, 
the largest single fountain in the world, and from it an im- 
mense body of water rushes down the valley, though the 

33 



34 



Students' Historical Geography 



elevation of the fountain is not more than 500 feet above the 
Sea. Dan was the old Laish, and was conquered by the 
Danites. (Judges 18.) After the Conquest, the Danites set 
up a heretical worship and a graven image for idol service. 
(Judg. 18 : 29-31.) Later, at Dan, the worship of the golden 
calf was instituted, and it ever thereafter remained a heathen 
temple. (1 Kings 12 : 28, 29; Amos 8 : 14.) The third, 
and most beautiful, source of the Jordan is at the Fountain 
of Banias, a stream issuing here, midway in size between 
the Leddan and the Hasbany. This source is on the south- 
ern base of Mount Hermon. Banias is the equivalent of the 
Greek name Paneas, the shrine of the god Pan, sacred to the 
worship of Baal, the weird god of the Phoenicians, long be- 
fore the Greeks adapted the grotto to the Pan-god worship, 
the shepherd-god. When Rome followed Greece as Master, 
Herod the Great built here a temple of exquisite white marble, 
in honor of his patron the Emperor Augustus Caesar. Philip 
the Tetrarch, Herod's son, beautified the city and called it 
Csesarea, distinguishing it from the other Caesarea on the 
See opp. p. 36 coast, as Ccesarea Philippi. In time, the name Paneas was 
restored to it, and the Arabs call it Banias. It marked the 
northern limit of our Lord's travels and ministry. Near by 
is Mi. Hermon, probably the Mount of the Transfiguration. 
(S. Matt. 16 : 13-20; 17 : 1-8.) The main source recognized 
by the Jews is the one at Banias. From the highest source, 
at Hasbeiya down through the Dead Sea, the river is divided 
into three sections, three stages or levels, each of which con- 
tains a noted lake or sea. The river passes through two of 
these lakes and discharges all of its waters into the third. 
The most northern and smallest lake in the first basin is 
Lake Huleh, known as the Waters of Merom in the days of 
Joshua, a triangular sheet of water three miles across, sit- 
uated in an enormous swamp of dense and huge canes and 
papyrus, about level with the Mediterranean Sea, never more 
than 7 feet above. The second and next largest, the Lake 
of Galilee called Lake Chinnereth in the Old Testament, and 
the Lake of Tiberias in Christ's time, is a pear-shaped lake, 
14 miles long by 9 miles wide, 682 feet below the sea level, 
in the section we have studied as Galilee or the Esdraelon 



The Jordan Valley to the Ghor 



35 



region. The third basin, far south, the Dead Sea, the largest Seeopp.p.36 
of all, is 46 miles long, with its surface 1,290 feet below the 
Mediterranean, and in some places 1,300 feet deeper still. 
Note carefully again, the downward flow of this remarkable 
river. At the Hasbeiya Springs, it rises 1,700 feet above the 
Sea, Mts. Hermon and Lebanon on either side. At Lake 
Merom it is on a level with the Sea. Below Merom, it de- 
scends with a fearful drop of 60 feet to the mile, until at 
the Sea of Galilee it is 682 feet below the Mediterranean. 
Here begins the gorge 65 miles long to the Dead Sea. It 
flows so rapidly through the Sea of Galilee that it scarcely 
mingles the waters. Along the gorge below it drops 610 
feet farther in depth. It flows through the Plain of Jericho 
on the way, which at this point is a valley 14 miles wide and 
400 feet above the level of the Dead Sea, the mountains 
around rising to the height of over 3,000 feet. The distance 
from Hasbeiya to Lake Merom is about 40 miles, from the 
entrance of Merom to the Sea of Galilee about 15 miles, 
from the northern end of that Lake to the Dead Sea 79 miles, 
making a direct descent in length of 134 miles. During this 
descent, it falls over 3,000 feet, an average fall of 22 feet 
to the mile. It varies from 80 to 180 feet in width and from 
5 to 12 feet in depth. 

We will now explore each of these three great basins. 
Lake Huleh or Merom occupies the lower portion of the 
Huleh basin, 12 miles below the site of Dan. At the upper 
end of the basin is the huge marsh, of which we spoke, an 
area practically impassable, through its reeds and papyrus, 
even for a canoe. West of the lake is a rich farming region, 
extending to the foot of the mountains. On this plain, by 
the Waters of Merom, Joshua fought his victorious battle 
with the Confederate Kings of the North. (Josh. 11 : 5-8.) 
Yet, owing to its malaria and its insecurity from attack, it is 
a forsaken, desolate, uninhabited area, not a single permanent 
dwelling being found save at the border town of Banias. 
From Lake Huleh, it is 11 miles in a straight line to the Lake 
of Tiberias. About two miles below the upper lake the 
river is spanned by a very ancient bridge, with a ruined khan 
at one end, a ford of the Jordan for centuries, and probably 



Students' Historical Geography 



the identical spot that Saul the persecutor crossed on his 
way from Galilee to Damascus, to imprison the Lord's dis- 
ciples. The Jordan on leaving Huleh Lake is 60 feet wide and 
15 deep, flowing rapidly through a narrow gorge. The Sea of 
Galilee is also called the lake of Tiberias (S. John 6 : 1), 
the Sea of Chinnereth (Josh. 12 : 3), and the Lake of Gen- 
nesaret. (S. Luke 5:1.) Its length and breadth we have 
given. Its depth of water is about 200 feet. On its eastern 
side, the banks rise 1,000 feet or more. On the west, the 
Galilean hills descend in terraces, ending in moderate cliffs, 
with generally a broad belt of lowland between the cliff and 
the water. On the north, this gradual slope forms the fertile 
Plain of Genncsaret. The entire region is volcanic, and lava 
and pumice stone lie scattered about everywhere. There are 
but few trees, and a deserted aspect belongs to it. This Lake 
is little mentioned in the Old Testament ; but is full of in- 
cidents of Christ's Life in the New Testament record. In 
the days of the Romans Gennesaret was a garden spot, all the 
tiny streams flowing through its plain being utilized, and for 
ten months each year its orchards and vineyards and fields 
yielded luxuriant harvests. In our Saviour's day, numerous 
towns and villages were nestled on its hillsides and lowlands 
on the western side, and every foot of land was cultivated. 
On the eastern side, neglect and barreness prevailed, the 
desert places, to which our Lord so often retired for rest. 
(See S. Mark 4 : 35, 36 ; 5 : 21 ; S. Matt. 14 : 13-15.) 

Only two of the many towns of this wonderful Lake, as 
mentioned by the Evangelists, are now inhabited, Tiberias and 
Magdala; and both of these are sadly changed since the 
See opp. p. 37 glorious days of Rome. We will commence with Tiberias, 
on the western shore about half-way towards the southern 
end. The city was built by Herod Antipas, and named by 
him for Tiberius the Emperor. Recent research shows that 
the enclosing wall was almost three miles long. Huge and 
splendid buildings were within, a citadel, theaters, amphi- 
theaters, forum, temples, synagogues, baths, dwellings, a noble 
scene from across the Lake. There is no direct mention of 
Christ's work there ; though he most certainly must have 
visited it. Near by were noted hot springs, which rendered 




CAESAREA PHILIPPI 
Photo by Williams, Brown & Earle 



DEAD SE.A 




BETHSAIDA OF GALILEE 
Photo by S. U. Mitman 



BROOK JABBOK 
Copyrighted by Underwood & Underwood 



The Jordan Valley to the Ghor 



37 



the place particularly attractive to the Romans. Its present 
population is about 5,000. Magdala comes next, as we go up 
the west shore of the Lake. It is the modern village of 
Mejdel (Migdol or watch-tower) at the lower end of the See opp. p. 37 
Plain of Gennesaret. It was the home of S. Mary of Magdala, 
the devoted friend of the Master, known in briefer form to- 
day as the Magdalene. (S. John 20 : 16-18.) The town is also 
mentioned in S. Matthew 15 : 39, which look up. Capernaum, 
next north, is uncertain as to site (see cut 13) ; but the 
most likely one is at the northern end of the Plain. The 
city undoubtedly stood on a great thoroughfare, roads from 
it leading in all directions. Of the two sites, one about five 
miles from the mouth of the Jordan and the other about two, 
most arguments from the records seem to favor the former. 
Capernaum was an important Biblical city. It was the home 
of Jesus after his rejection at Nazareth; it was in fact 
called "his own city." (S. Matt. 9 : 1.) 

Many of our Lord's miracles occurred here, as the healing 
of the nobleman's son, healing of the demoniac, healing of 
S. Peter's mother-in-law, first draught of fishes, healing of 
the paralytic, healing of the Centurion's servant, healing of 
the blind and dumb demoniacs, raising of Jairus' daughter, 
healing of a woman with an issue of blood, of the dumb 
demoniac, and of two blind men, the tribute money in the 
fish, etc. Here also He called Levi or Matthew the Publican. 
Two at least of His Apostles, S. Peter and S. Matthew, had 
homes here, and after the rejection at Nazareth His mother, 
S. Mary, transferred her own home here. (See S. Mark 
1 : 29 ; 2 : 14, 15 ; S. Matt. 12 : 46 ; S. John 2 : 12. Also S. 
Matt. 8 : 14-17; S. Mark 1 : 21-34; S. Luke 4 : 33-41.) The 
town of Bethsaida of Galilee is just above Capernaum. Note 
also the other Bethsaida Julias, which lies a little east and See opp. p. 37 
north, up the Jordan. The former Bethsaida certainly lay 
near Capernaum (S. Mark 6 : 45 ; S. John 6 : 17), with a 
jutting headland between them. Some ruined buildings and 
an octagonal fountain mark the probable site. This town was 
the birthplace of S. Peter, S. Andrew, and S. Philip. Above 
this Bethsaida may have been Chorazin, but its site is really 
unknown. (See S. Matt. 11 : 21.) Bethsaida Julias was 



38 



Students' Historical Geography 



originally a small fishing town. Later it was enlarged by 
Philip the Tetrarch and given to his daughter, Julias, hence 
its name. On a slope near by, our Lord fed the Five Thou- 
sand. (S. Luke 9 : 10-17.) O n a mountain adjacent He was 
praying alone when the storm broke over the disciples, on 
their way across the Lake to Bethsaida of Galilee. (S. Mark 
6 : 45, 46; S. John 6 : 15-17.) Gergesa may have been where 
the ruins of a town called Gersa, or Khersa on the eastern 
shore of the Lake, have recently been discovered. It may 
have given its name to the surrounding country. (S. Matt. 
8 : 28.) The healing of the demoniacs occurred here and 
the destruction of the herd of swine. (S. Luke 8 : 26; S. 
Matt. 8 : 28-34.) The modern railroad to Damascus runs 
up the Lake to Gersa, and thence turns eastward. 

The Lake of Galilee is noted to-day for its sudden and 
violent storms. On it was the stilling of the tempest. On it 
S. Peter walked to Jesus. It was renowned the world over for 
its variety and unusual abundance of fish, and the two 
miraculous draughts of fishes came from its bosom. To-day, 
not more than fifteen or sixteen small boats ply the entire 
Lake, and they may often be seen all together, tied up at 
Capernaum. 

Questions and Manual Work on Chapter VII. 

1. Write down fifteen chief localities and events of the 
Third Zone of Palestine, the great mountainous backbone or 
ridge. 

2. Tell all you can, in description, of Jerusalem and its 
environs. 

3. Make a new outline map of Palestine, and draw in the 
full Jordan Valley and River System. 

4. Take an outline map of Esdraelon and Sea of Galilee 
(Bailey or Bible Study Co., S. S. Commission) and place each 
city and special locality (mountain, etc.), in the Galilee region, 
studied thus far. 

5. Make a list of these cities and the events and Bible 
references. 



CHAPTER VIII 



THE REMAINDER OF THE JORDAN VALLEY 

The Fourth Zone of Palestine. 

The natives call the Valley of the Jordan, lying between 
the Lake and the Dead Sea, the Ghor, that is the gorge or 
rift, 65 miles long. On both sides the highlands rise up from 
2,000 to 3,000 feet. The winds sweep across the top of these 
mountains, making the Ghor itself of the utmost tropical 
climate, a veritable hotbed. Two rivers flow into the Jordan 
on its way south, both coming from the east. They are the 
Yarmuk or Jarmuk or Hieromax, entering four miles from 
the foot of the Lake; and the Jabbok which comes in about See opp. p. 37 
twenty miles above the Dead Sea. Within the Ghor lies an 
inner, smaller, and deeper valley, known as the Zor. At the 
north, it is but 20 feet below in depth ; but at the south it is 
fully 200 feet deeper. Its width varies from one-fourth of a 
mile to two miles. It is jungle of tropical growth, and filled, 
even now, with wild animals, — wolves, leopards, and formerly 
lions being among them. Still again, within the Zor, at a 
lower level, runs the tortuous, dashing Jordan, from 100 to 
200 feet wide usually ; but in the rainy season a veritable 
flood, covering the entire Zor ofttimes. (See Jer. 12 : 5 ; 
49 : 19; 50 : 44; Zech. 11 : 3; Josh. 3 : 15; 1 Chron. 12 : 
IS-) 

The Fords of the Jordan are numerous. The river is 
from three to ten feet deep, and in ancient times there was 
not a bridge the whole way down. The Hebrew language 
did not possess a word for bridge. There were few towns 
along this Jordan Valley, partly on account of the river 
and partly from the prevailing malaria, the danger of in- 
vasion from wild beasts and hostile robber tribes from the 
eastern side of the river. On the western side, we have 



39 



40 



Students' Historical Geography 



Beth-shan, at the foot of the Valley of Jezreel, on the brow 
of the hill as it drops. It was held by Canaanites, though 
allotted to Manasseh. (Judg. i : 27.) Ten miles south of 
Beth-shan was Abel Meholah, the Meadow of the Dance, 
whence the Midianites fled (Judg. 7 : 22) and where Elisha 
lived, before he became a prophet. (1 Kings 19 : 15-18.) 

The city of Adam was probably near the mouth of the Jab- 
bok, on the east side of the Valley. (See especially, Josh. 
3 : 16.) Zaretan, which has not been placed, was near this 
same river, and the district of Zaretan we know extended all 
along that region. Succoth, the place of booths, has been 
fixed as about a mile north of the Damieh Ford, which lies 
just below the junction of the Jabbok and the Jordan. Here 
Jacob dwelt for a time and built booths for his cattle. (Gen. 
33 : 16, 17.) Solomon's brass foundries were also near this 
See opp. p. 52 place. (1 Kings 7 : 46.) Jericho, a very important city, was 
situated on the western side of the Valley, here a great 
broad plain, about six miles from the Jordan, a mile and a 
half above the modern town of that name. It was the first 
city captured by the Israelites in the actual conquest of the 
land, after the wanderings in the wilderness following the 
Exodus. (Read Joshua 2.) Its beautiful groves of palms 
gave it the name City of Palm Trees. (Deut. 34 : 3.) It 
was a very wealthy city at the Conquest. (Josh. 6 : 19 ; 
7:2.) The city walls then fell under providential inter- 
position, though God, here, as elsewhere, may have used 
natural means, for since walls were not built strongly in 
those ancient days, it may well have been that the steady 
rhythmic stamp of many marching feet may have set up 
vibrations that rendered the wall quite ready to topple over 
when the mighty shout went up. In Christ's time the new 
Jericho, built below, was a noted and famous city, beau- 
tified by Herod the Great with wonderful palaces and archi- 
tectural splendors. Here too the great king died. In the old 
Jericho, Rahab lived. (Josh. 2; 6 : 22-25.) On its fall, the 
curse was proclaimed against any one ever rebuilding its 
walls. (Josh. 6 : 26.) In the time of Ahab, Hiel of Bethel 
tried to revive it, and fell under the curse. (1 Kings 16 : 30- 
34.) One of the Schools of the Prophets was situated at 



The Remainder of the Jordan Valley 41 



Jericho, a school which both Elijah and Elisha visited. (2 See opp. p. 52 
Kings 2.) It should be carefully noted that there have really 
been three Jerichos. We have mentioned the original one and 
also the Roman one, farther south. The modern one, prob- 
ably not older than the twelfth century, was in between the 
two, as we have said not two miles from the original city. 
It is a small Arab village of rough houses. Very recently a 
hotel and a Russian Hospice have been erected there. Gil- 
gal, the first camping spot of the Israelites after crossing 
Jordan, lay a little south and east of the ancient Jericho on 
the Plain. Here the twelve stones of the river bed were 
set up for a memorial, after the passage of the stream. (Josh. 

4 : 19.) Here the rite of circumcision was renewed. (Josh. 

5 : 2.) 

At Gilgal, the Passover was celebrated and the manna 
ceased when the march reached this city. (Josh. 5 : 12.) 
Gilgal was also the resting-place of the ark until it was re- 
moved to Shiloh. Somewhere on the Plain on its western 
side, probably in the south, near the northern end of the 
Sea, stood the Cities of the Plain, Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, 
Zoar, and Zeboim, which were overwhelmed with destruction 
in the time of Abraham. It may even be the site once held 
by these fated cities that is now beneath a portion of the 
Dead Sea, for the Sea undoubtedly occupied a larger area 
in ancient times. The Bible descriptions of their destruction 
(Gen. 19; Deut. 29 : 23; Isa. 1 : 9 ; 3 : 9 ; 13 : 19 ; Jer. 23 : 
14 ; 49 : 18 ; 50 : 40 ; Lam. 4:6; Ezek. 16 : 46, 53 ; Amos 
4 : 11) seem to indicate a bitumen or petroleum or pitch 
eruption, similar to such as have occurred in the oil regions 
of America, due to compressed gases, intermingled with oil 
and water, forming flaming fire coming down from above, 
with cinders, smoke, ejected water, which last would supply 
the encrustations that may have formed the pillar of salt out 
of Lot's ill-fated wife. It is a remarkable proof of the in- 
fluence of climate, country, and environment, that, as Profes- 
sor Kent has pointed out, every race and tribe that came in 
and settled on this low, miasmic, tropical Plain of the Jor- 
dan Valley -became in time corrupt and degenerate, morally, 
physically, and even mentally ; whereas those in the moun- 



42 



Students' Historical Geography 



tainous regions, whether native or moving up from the Val- 
ley, were hardy, sturdy, high-minded, intellectual, moral for 
the most part, and a better race of men. Environment does 
mold character to a most important degree. Nearly opposite 
Jericho, across the Jordan, on the eastern side of the Valley, 
lay the Plains of Moab, the Plain of Abel Shittim, the meadow 
of the Acacias, extending from this point nearly down to the 
head of the Dead Sea, about fifteen miles by eight. It is 
still dotted with ancient, gnarled acacias, descendants of the 
Shittah trees of the days of Moses. (Num. 22 : i ; Josh. 3 : 
1 ; Num. 33 : 49.) In later days, although assigned to Reuben 
and Gad, and specked with their fortified cities, the only re- 
mains of which to-day are heaps of earth or tells, it fell un- 
der the Amorites and became their land. Of the several 
Fords of the Jordan, the one of importance is Damieh Ford, 
just below the junction of the jabbok, the crossing-place 
from Mount Gilead to Shechem, where Jacob crossed on his 
return from Padan Aram, and where the Ephraimites who 
could not pronounce "Shibboleth" were discovered and 
killed. (Gen. 12 : 6; 33 : 18; Judg. 12 : 5, 6.) The Nim- 
rim Ford is opposite Jericho, often known as the Upper Ford, 
the main thoroughfare to the opposite shore. Over this ford 
the ark was borne at the Conquest (Josh. 3, 15, 16) ; here 
Elijah and Elisha parted the waters; and here, probably, our 
Lord was baptized. (S. John 1 : 28.) The Lower Ford, 
known as the Pilgrims' Bathing Place, is five miles below, 
and was used as the fords towards Moab. Ehud, Ruth and 
Naomi all crossed it. (Judg. 3 : 28 ; Ruth 1.) 

The Dead Sea, of which we have spoken, is mentioned in 
the Bible as the Salt Sea, the Sea of the Plain, the Sea of 
Arabah. (See Josh. 3 : 16; Deut. 4 : 49 ; 2 Kings 14 : 25.) 
Its shore is desolate, lined with rock-salt and cakes of pitch, 
save the southeastern corner, which is fertile through fresh 
springs. Here at this eastern side too is the distinguishing 
promontory or peninsula of El Lisan (the tongue), 12 miles 
long and 6 wide. The Sea is more than five times as salty as 
the ocean, and extremely bitter to taste. 



The Remainder of the Jordan Valley 43 



Questions and Manual Work on Chapter VIII. 

1. Make a sand table map of Palestine, in fullest detail, at 
least 3x4 feet. Let it be carefully worked out, spending the 
whole hour (or more) on it. Mark cities by lentils (Haim- 
el's) ; the mountains by pole men (S. S. Commission sets), 
etc. Put pin-flags for battlefields. 

2. Let the class members quiz each other on the events 
located at the various cities, battlefields, etc. 

3. Locate in detail and discuss the cities of the Jordan Val- 
ley below the Sea of Galilee. 



CHAPTER IX 



THE FIFTH ZONE OF PALESTINE. THE EASTERN 
TABLE LAND 

Climbing up the hills of Moab and Gilead, we are in the 
Fifth Zone of Palestine, in the midst of rolling, grass- 
covered hills, cut by rifting ravines, with dashing mountain 
torrents. This zone is almost entirely a highland country, 
its general elevation being 2,000 feet above the Sea. The 
backbone of the mountains is the Anti-Lebanon range, lower 
and more irregular than the Lebanon range. It is mostly a 
series of broken, parallel ridges. Beginning far in the north, 
a little above Damascus, we see a marked depression or break, 
separating the East Mountain of the Anti-Lebanon Range 
from Mount Hermon. This depression has formed the natural 
caravan route from Beirut to Damascus. The southern end 
of this upper range is broken by the deep valley of the 

See opp. p. 52 river Abana, the Barada of modern times. (2 Kings 5 : 12.) 

In a bend in the Abana river is the old site of Abila, the 
capital of Abilene, mentioned by S. Luke, in connection with 

See opp. p. 52 the Tetrarchy of Lysanias. (S. Luke 3 : I.) Damascus is 
situated on a fertile plain, at the foot of Mount Hermon. 
It is watered by the beautiful Abana, which divides into 
many small streams, watering thus the Plain. Its surplus 
waters gather and are lost in a Lake at the edge of the Plain, 
on the borders of the desert. Probably no city of present- 
day existence can trace its history so far back as can 
Damascus. In the Bible it is often called Syria. Routes of 
travel lay through it in all directions. Hundreds of canals 
and rivulets murmur through the City and the Plain, making 
150 square miles of delightful green, in the midst of which is 
the white, compact City and picturesque minarets. The Awaj 
River, supposed to be the Pharpar, rises on the sides of 

44 



The Eastern Table Land 



45 



Mount Hermon and flows across the Plain, a few miles be- 
low the Abana, entering another lake, below the twin marsh 
lakes of the Abana. (See 2 Kings 5 : 12.) The present 
population of Damascus is not less than 250,000. Abram 
visited Damascus, and his chief servant, Eliezer, came from 
that town. (Gen. 15 : 2.) Its first mention in the Bible is in 
connection with the pursuit of Chedorlaomer. (Gen. 14 ; 
15.) David set a garrison there (2 Sam. 8 : 6) and it be- 
came part of Solomon's Kingdom. (1 Chron. 18 : 6.) Hazael 
came from Damascus. (2 Kings 8.) It became the capital 
of Syria in the days of that pushing Kingdom. Hither Saul 
was journeying, to seize and imprison Christians, when he was 
vouchsafed a vision from God and Jesus Christ was mani- 
fested to him. Here he was baptized and restored to normal 
sight. (Acts 9 : 1-26.) He revisited the City later and 
preached boldly in the name of Christ. (Gal. 1 : 17.) From See opp. p. 53 
that city he escaped in a basket. (Acts 9 : 24, 25.) Look up 
the many references to Damascus, noting its power and 
prestige, and its important place in the history of the Israel- 
ites. (2 Sam. 8 : 3; 10 : 6; 1 Kings 4 : 21 ; 11 : 23 ; 15 : 18, 
19; 20 : 1-34; 22 : 1-40; 2 Kings 6 : 24 ; 7 ; 8 : 28 ; 10 : 32 ; 
12 : 17; 13 : 25 ; 14 : 28 ; 15 : 37 ; 16 : 5.) Its final overthrow 
is noted in Amos 1 : 5. 

EASTERN PALESTINE, as we journey southward, has 
three main divisions, Bashan, Gilead, and Moab. Bashan 
extends from the base of Mount Hermon and the Pharpar 
river to the Jarmuk or Hieromax river. This division is 
again divided into sections. The northern section is the 
district of Jedur, the Iturea of S. Luke. (S. Luke 3:1.) It 
extended probably to the northern end of Lake Huleh. The 
Hagarites or Ishmaelites dwelt there. The name Jedur was 
derived from Jetur, a son of Ishmael. (Gen. 25 : 15.) The 
divisions of Bashan south of the Jedur are longitudinal. 
Next to the Jordan side, from Jedur's lower limit to the Jar- 
muk, was the Jaulan, named so from Golan, its chief city, a 
City of Refuge under Moses. (Deut. 4 : 43 ; Josh. 20 : 8; 21 : 
27.) The Kingdom of Geshur was in this district. One of 
David's wives was a daughter of the king of Geshur, and 
her son, Absalom, fled to this region. (Deut. 3 : 14; Josh. 



46 



Students' Historical Geography 



13 : 13; 2 Sam. 15 : 8; 1 Chron. 2 : 23.) Roman Gaulanitis 
must have been about equal to the same region. The Hauran 
district comes next, a level, treeless plain 50 miles long and 
15 or 20 miles wide, of loose, volcanic soil, very fertile and 
well-tilled. The Hauran Plain is bordered on the east, be- 
tween it and the desert, by the Lejah or "Refuge" of the 
Arabs, the rough region called therefore Trachonitis by the 
Greeks. (S. Luke 3:1.) It was also known as Argob, the 
"stony," by the Hebrews. (Deut. 3 : 4.) It is a vast mass 
of congealed lava, 350 square miles, or 60 miles in circum- 
ference, a black, motionless sea, with waves of petrified lava, 
dotted with the remains of ancient towns, for it was the 
stronghold of the Kingdom of Og. (See especially Deut. 
3:4, 5 ; 3 : 14 ; 1 Kings 4 : 13. Recall also the reference 
in Psalms. Psa. 135 : 11; 136 : 20.) Edrei on the southern 
border of the Lejah was the capital, and the battlefield where 
Og lost his life. (Deut. 3:1; Num. 21 : 33; Josh. 12 : 4; 
13 : 12.) Kenath or Nobah was also in the southeastern ex- 
tremity. (Look up Num. 22 : 42 ; 1 Chron. 2 : 23 ; Num. 
32 : 42 ; Judg. 8 : 4-11.) Some sixty other cities, "the giant 
cities of Bashan," were scattered over this Plain. Their 
ruins are still there, intermingled with magnificent remains of 
Greek and Roman architecture, and inscriptions dedicated to 
the many Christian martyrs of Decian and Diocletian Per- 
secutions. Job's country, the Land of Uz, was in Southern 
Bashan, if we may trust traditions of the Arabs. The weight 
of present-day authority places Uz on the border of the desert 
near Petra, in the land of Edom. The extent of Bashan is 
about 130 miles, north and south, and from Jordan Valley to 
the desert. The Land of Gilead extends sixty miles from 
the Jarmuk to the head of the Dead Sea, at the Heshbon 
river. (Josh. 22 : 9.) The Jarmuk or Hieromax is nearly 
the size of the Jordan, where it enters that river. The Brook 
Jabbok cuts across a little below half way down Gilead. The 
part above is Northern Gilead, that below is Southern, and 
belonged at the Conquest to Sihon, King of the Amorites. 
(Num. 21 : 24-26; Josh. 13 : 25 ; Judg. 11 : 21, 22; Psa. 136 : 
19.) Gilead is more elevated than Bashan; there is less of 
volcanic deposit and more of limestone ; many forests of 



The Eastern Table Land 



47 



noble trees, among them the Wood of Ephraim, that spelled 
the Waterloo of Absalom. (2 Sam. 18 : 6-14.) "The Balm 
of Gilead" has been sought for among these forest trees but 
thus far has not been discovered. Gilead was the country 
of Jeptha, the Judge of Manasseh, and of Elijah. The 
southern portion was the Kingdom of the Ammonites. That 
portion, together with the upper part of Moab, i.e. from the 
Jabbok to the Arnon, was the Perea of the New Testament, 
where one part of our Lord's Ministry was fulfilled and 
along the border of which he was baptized. (See S. Matt. 
19 : 1, 13; S. Mark 10 : 1 ; S. Luke 13 : 22; S. John 10 : 40.) 
Mount Pisgah, (Jebel Osha) is the highest mountain peak, the 
most sightly place in all Palestine, save Mount Hermon. It 
is an isolated peak on the southern side of the Jabbok, "over 
against Jericho." From this point of vantage Moses viewed 
the Promised Land. (Deut. 34 : 1.) From these heights 
Balaam viewed the Camp of the Israelites. (Num. 24 : 5-9.) 
Some of the important cities of Gilead are now studied. 
Gadara is the Um-Keis of to-day, three miles south of the 
Jarmuk, and five miles east of Jordan. It was in the coun- 
try of the Gadarenes, the site of the healing of the demoniacs. 
(S. Matt. 8 : 28; S. Mark 5 : 1 ; S. Luke 8 : 26.) The ruins 
of Gadara are over two miles in circumference. The site 
of Mahanaim is unsettled. All Bible references seem to in- 
dicate it as located north of the Jabbok in the land assigned 
to Gad, near the border of Manasseh. (Gen. 32 : 2; Josh. 
13 : 30; 21 : 38.) At this spot, Jacob met the angels of 
God. Here Ishbosheth was crowned and later slain. Here 
David fled from the pursuit of Absalom. Here, in the gate, 
he waited for the news of the battle fought, and in the 
chamber over the gate he wept sore for his rebellious son. 
(See 2 Sam. 2 : 8 ; 4 : 5 ; 17 : 24 ; 18 : 24-33.) 

Jabesh-Gilead is identified as probably straight across 
country from Dothan, at the modern Ed-Deir. It is im- 
portant for connection with the following events : the defec- 
tion of Benjamin (Judg. 21 : 8-14) ; the route of the hosts of 
Ammon (1 Sam. 11 : 1-11) ; and the rescue of the bodies of 
Saul and Jonathan. (1 Sam. 31 : 11, 12; 2 Sam. 2 : 5.) Pella 
is six miles northwest of Jabesh-Gilead. It is the city to 



4 8 



Students' Historical Geography 



which the Christians of Jerusalem fled just before the siege 
of Titus. Peniel or Penuel was on the Brook Jabbok ; but 
exactly where is uncertain. Here Jacob wrestled with the 
angel. (Gen. 32.) Gerasa was a city of note, about twenty 
miles east of the Jordan, on one of the northern branches of 
the Jabbok. It was also called Jerash. It is considered the 
most perfect Roman city existing above ground to-day, for 
more than 200 magnificent buildings are still standing. It 
was one of the chief members of the Decapolis, ten cities 
that, at the opening of the Christian period, banded together 
in a confederacy of Greek-speaking people. for mutual defense 
and trade propaganda. These cities were all on the great 
highroads of Eastern Palestine, only Beth-shean, the ancient 
Scythopolis, being to the west. Each city had an outlying 
country district. Later more than ten cities were included. 
The cultured and wealthy of that part of the world were 
gathered in them. Christ visited many of them in this region. 
Once so throbbing with life, this section to-day is deserted, 
and even the sites of most of its towns are gone. Heaps of 
desolate ruins are all that mark ancient sites of a wondrous 
civilization. Ramoth-Gilead is another of the disputed sites, 
the city where Ahab died (1 Kings 22 : 34) ; the city which 
Hazael captured (2 Kings 8 : 28; 9 : 14) ; the city where 
Jehu was proclaimed king (2 Kings 9 : 4. See also Deut. 
4 : 43 ; 1 Kings 4 : 13.) It was also a City of Refuge. That 
is was somewhere in this general locality seems, however, 
certain. Mispah is supposed to be Suf, a village three miles 
south of Geresa, where Jacob and Laban erected "a heap of 
witnesses," a monument of stone to seal their covenant. (Gen. 
31 : 44.) Rabbath- Amnion, the ancient capital of the Am- 
monites, is on the south side of the Anion, to the east. 
Israel did not purpose to make war on either Ammon or 
Moab, since they were descendants of Lot. But they hired 
Balaam to come to curse Israel, and Joab in the time of 
David captured Rabbath. In front of its walls, Uriah the 
Hittite was slain. (See Deut. 2:9, 19; Num. 22; 2 Sam. 
11 : 1; 12 : 26.) In New Testament times, this was called 
Philadelphia. The ruins of Philadelphia are still extant. 
The Land of Moab lies to the east of the Dead Sea, from 



The Eastern Table Land 



49 



the Anion down about fifteen miles. It is a treeless plateau, 
4,300 feet above the Dead Sea. It was held by the Moabites, 
though they also claimed some land north of the Arnon, dur- 
ing certain periods. 

In this land Elimelech and Naomi found refuge and David 
trusted his aged parents to the king of Moab, although later 
he waged a bitter war against these people. (See Judg. 11 : 
12-18; Ruth 1 ; 4:9; S. Matt. 1 : 5-15; 1 Sam. 22 : 3 ; 2 
Sam. 8 : 2.) Among the cities of Biblical interest we men- 
tion Beth-peor just east of the head of the Salt Sea, the 
burial-place of Moses. (Josh. 13 : 20; Deut. 34 : 6.) Hesh- 
bon lies farther east on the same straight line, on a lofty 
elevation, 200 feet above the surrounding Plain, fifteen miles 
east of the Sea. Heshbon was the capital of the Amorite 
king, Sihon, who captured it from the Moabites. (Num. 21 : 
26.) Later it was captured by the Moabites again. (Isa. 15 : 
4; Jer. 48 : 34; Josh. 21 : 39.) Six miles south of Heshbon 
is Medeba, before which Joab fought a terrific battle with 
the combined forces of Syria and Amnion, winning the day 
for Israel. (1 Chron. 19 : 6.) Dibon is on a straight line, 9 
or 10 miles south of Medeba. It is mentioned in Num. 21 : 
30; 33 : 34; Isa. 15 : 2. Here it was that Dr. Klein discov- 
ered the famous Moabite Stone in 1868, a black basalt slab 
ZYz by 2 feet in size, now in the Louvre at Paris. It records 
an important account of the oppression of Moab by Omri of 
Israel and the deliverance under Mesha of Moab. It is dated 
900 B. C. The characters are in Phoenician. (See 2 Kings 
3 : 3-5.) Kir of Moab lies about six miles south of the 
Arnon. It was a noted Moabite stronghold. (Num. 21 : 28; 
Isa. 15 : 1 ; 2 Kings 3 : 26.) Here Mesha was besieged by 
the forces of Israel and Edom. 

Edom or Mt. Seir, called Idumea in the New Testament, is 
the strip of hilly country just south of Moab, lying between 
the Desert of Arabia and the Wilderness of Paran. The 
Brook Zered separates it from Moab on the north. This 
Zered was the stream which Israel crossed, under the orders 
that terminated their long period of wanderings in the wil- 
derness, and began their onward march of conquest into the 
Promised Land. (See Num. 21 : 12 and Deut. 2 : 13, 14.) 



50 



Students' Historical Geography 



Ancient Edom was 100 miles long and about 20 wide. Mount 
Hor is along its eastern border towards the north. On the 
top to-day is a Muhammadan temple, erected over the tradi- 
tional site of Aaron's tomb. (Xum. 20 : 23; 33 : 37.) Bozrah, 
the old capital of Edom, lies at the northern portion. Petra or 
Selah is near Mt. Hor. (2 Kings 14 : 7.) It possesses a mar- 
velous rock-hewn Roman temple. When Chedorlaomer swept 
over Mount Seir or Edom, the country was occupied by the 
Horites, or mountaineers. (Gen. 14 : 6.) During the Exodus, 
the Edomites forbade the Israelites passage through their land. 
(Num. 20 : 14.) They were conquered by David and held sub- 
ject to his successors. (2 Sam. 8 : 14; 2 Kings 8 : 20; 14 : 
1-8; 2 Chron. 25 : 1-14; 28 : 17.) They united with Chaldea 
against Judah, and were condemned for this action. (Psa. 
137 : 7; Ezek. 25 : 12.) Later they were overthrown by the 
Amalekites from south of the Negeb. The Nabatheans, 
descendants of Ishmael, then overran the country. Aretas, 
their king, was father-in-law to Herod Antipas. 

Questions and Manual Work on Chapter IX. 

1. Take a sheet of paper 8 x 12 inches. Fold three times 
the short way and four times the long way. Get a Hebrew 
World Map of Bailey Series and rule it off the same way as 
the paper is creased. Transfer by the eye the enlargement 
to your folded sheet. The Coast Line of the Great Sea falls 
within the upper squares of the second row. The point of 
Sinai peninsula falls in the same vertical line. The Euphrates 
and Tigris rivers lie across the upper and middle third tiers 
and the middle right tier. Palestine Proper lies entirely 
within the middle second tier. 

2. Locate on this map, which we will call the Eastern Bible 
World, the places noted in this Chapter. 

3. Make a list of the places, their names, events of his- 
torical interest, and Bible references. 



CHAPTER X 



THE SIXTH ZONE 

The Plain of Esdraelon 

One zone of Palestine yet remains to be explored, 
the Sixth, as Professor Kent terms it, far up north. It is 
the PLAIN OF ESDRAELON, and, unlike all the others, it 
cuts across the Central Plateau from east to west. It is a 
rough triangle, one angle being at Mount Carmel, one down 
south in the hills of Samaria, and the third at Mount Tabor 
and Galilee. It is a huge, level, treeless plain, watered by 
the muddy Kishon. It has been called the key to Palestine, 
for its valleys connect in every direction with all the other 
zones. It has, through all ages, been the great battlefield of 
the nations. Esdraelon is the Greek word for Jezreel, which 
is translated "God's sowing," a tribute to the extreme fer- 
tility of this plain. The main section of the plain is often 
called the Valley of Megiddo. Among the noted battles, the 
fields of which were almost clearly visible to our blessed 
Lord when as a youth or man he climbed the hills within a 
few minutes' walk from his home at Nazareth, scenes that 
must have stirred his patriotic heart to a tumult are the fol- 
lowing : — Deborah's battle with the Canaanites occurred at 
Mount Tabor when Sisera was slain by the wife of Heber 
the Kenite (Judg. 5, 6) , and Gideon's victory over the 
Midianites at Mount Gilboa, with the hosts of Midian at 
Alt. Moreh. Here is still Gideon's Spring, where the 300 
lapped water, and put to flight Midian and Amalek. (Judg. 
6. 7.) On this great battlefield, near Shunem, Saul and 
Jonathan were slain by the Philistines, who had come up the 
Maritime Plain and into Esdraelon by way of Megiddo. 
(1 Sam. 28.) Still again, the saddest defeat Israel ever met, 
and the one that decided forever her overthrow, was the 

5i 



5^ 



Students' Historical Geography 



death of the promising young king Josiah on the Plain of 
Megiddo, as Pharaoh-Necho, the monarch of Egypt, sought 
to battle with the king of Babylon. Josiah had been Israel's 
hope, a good king and a reformer, and with his death all 
her hopes vanished. (2 Kings 23 : 28; 2 Chron. 35 : 20.) 
Here Jehu met his doom, as he raged in his chariot up the 
Valley of Jezreel, striving against the kings of Israel and 
Judah. (2 Kings 9.) The Maccabees, the Romans, the 
Arabs, the Crusaders, and Napoleon himself all fought and 
struggled on this same sacred ground. The author of Reve- 
lation called it Armageddon, in token of. its many conflicts. 
(Rev. 16 : 16.) 

Let us locate some of these most historic places. Megiddo, 
now known as Lejjun, lies about the center of the lower 
border of the Plain, in the general direction of the continua- 
tion, southeasterly, of the Carmel range of mountains. Taa- 
nach, mentioned five times in the Bible in connection with 
Megiddo, was a stronghold of the Canaanites, situated four 
or five miles southeast of Megiddo. Not far from it is 
Hadad Rimmon, where the great mourning for Josiah was 
held. (Zech. 12 : 11.) Half-way over to the Valley of the 
Jordan and a little to the north lies Jezreel, the modern 
Zerin, now a collection of rude huts, formerly the magnificent 
royal residence of Ahab and his, evil court. Gideon and 
Saul, Elijah and Naboth, Joram, Ahaziah, and Jehu, all had 
to do with this city. (1 Kings 21; 2 Kings 9 : 34.) Travel- 
ing northeast, we come to Shuneni, the home of the Shu- 
nammite woman whose guest-room was open to Elisha, and 
whose son the prophet restored to life. (2 Kings 4.) Abishag 
dwelt there, and also the fair woman of Canticles. (1 Kings 
1 : 3, 4; Cant. 6 : 13.) 

The Valley of Jezreel is the eastern extension of the Plain 
of Esdraelon. It is watered chiefly by the Brook Jalud; 
emptying into the Jordan, and rising in the Ain Jalud, the 
Fountain of Jezreel, at the foot of Mount Gilboa. This is the 
supposed Fountain or Spring of Gideon. (Judg. 7.) Here, 
too, king Saul camped, just previous to his defeat and death. 
(1 Sam. 28 : 4; 29 : 1 ; 31 : 1.) Far over, southeast, towards 
the Jordan Valley, is Bethshan or Scythopolis, an old strong- 



RUINS OF NEW TESTAMENT 
JERICHO 



FOUNTAIN OF ELISHA 

Photo by S. U. Mitman 




RIVER ABANA 
Photo by S. U. Mitman 



DAMASCUS 



DAMASCUS, 
Street called Straight 



BALBEC RUINS 



ANTIOCH IN SYRIA ANTIOCH OF PISIDIA 

Photo by W. H. Rau Photo by W. H. Rau 



The Plain of Esdraelon 



53 



hold of the Canaanites, held by them long after the Con- 
quest. (Judg. i : 27.) The bodies of Saul and Jonathan 
were hung on its walls and rescued from there by the men 
of Jabesh-Gilead. (1 Sam. 31 : 12-13.) There are three moun- 
tains of importance in this Plain of Esdraelon, all of them 
connected with decisive events. From the north downwards, 
we see Mount Tabor, near the foot of the Sea of Tiberias, 
the most noticeable landmark in lower Galilee. It is not a ridge, 
but a single mountain, a cone, cut off at the top. From Mount 
Tabor, the view reaches to the Mediterranean, to Mount Ebal, 
and to Mount Hermon. Here Barak and Deborah met ; here 
the brothers of Gideon were slain ; here some traditions place 
the Transfiguration of our Lord, though it is unlikely that 
it occurred at this spot. (Judg. 4 : 5; 8 : 18.) Little Her- 
mon, or the Hill of Moreh, is the next mountain, across the 
valley southward, historic by reason of Gideon's victory 
(Judg. 7:1) and of Saul's witch of Endor. (1 Sam. 28 : 4, 
7-25.) The village of Nain is on the side of the mountain 
towards the north, where was restored to life the son of the 
widow of Nain. (S. Luke 7 : 11.) Endor is but two miles 
northeast of Nain on the same slope of the mountain. In 
addition to its connection with the witch episode, it was the 
spot where Barak slew the chiefs of the Canaanites. (Psa. 
83 : 10.) The third mountain, still farther south, is Mount 
Gilboa, a ridge or range, about ten miles, from 500 to 1,500 
feet high in part. Jezreel is on a spur at one end, while 
Bethshan is at the other. On the northern slope Saul and 
Jonathan met their fate. (2 Sam. 1 : 19.) 

Questions and Manual Work on Chapter X. 

1. Take a Bailey Map of Esdraelon and mark on it in red 
ink the sites of all cities, places, mountains, valleys, etc., of 
which you have learned in this or previous lessons. Put flags 
for the battlefields. 

2. How many and what battlefields were there? What 
crises did they determine? 

3. What places were visited by our Lord? 

4. In which ones did He perform miracles and what? 

5. Make a paper-pulp map of Esdraelon and color in inks. 



CHAPTER XI 



THE EASTERN EMPIRES 

Far over across the Arabian Desert, known as the Land of 
Uz or Kedar, we come to another section of Asia, also a 
Bible land, which we must hastily explore. From the great 
highlands of present-day Armenia, over 7,000 feet above the 
sea, there stretches a mighty plain, 700 miles to the Persian 
Gulf, lying between the great rivers, the Euphrates on the 
west and the Tigris on the east. It has been called the Land 
of the Twin Rivers. The upper section was named Padan 
Aram, and later, by the Greeks, Mesopotamia or the Land 
between the Rivers. The lower portion was Shinar or 
Caldea. The northern division is mountainous limestone and 
gypsum. The lower is low-level land, reclaimed from the 
ocean below by filling-in from the deposits of earth carried 
down by the rivers. It is still growing at the rate of over 
75 feet a year. The lower plain has not a mineral or stone 
of any kind. Both the rivers rise, one on either side of Lake 
Van, in Armenia, 150 miles apart. The entire country to-day 
is a scene of barrenness and desolation, inhabited only by 
wandering Bedouin Arabs. The cities have disappeared, and 
only tells, or mounds of earth, mark their sites. These tells 
are the heaps of ruined walls and houses, all having been 
made of clay bricks, which in the long years have disinte- 
grated and crumbled away. Beneath these mounds are the 
lost cities. In 1820 men began to seek out these ancient cities 
and explore them. From the middle of this past century on, 
great explorers and men of science and learning have devoted 
lives and money to the labor of digging out the buried ruins, 
and rich biblical treasures have amply repaid them. 

We will begin with Caldea, also called Shinar and Baby- 
lonia, in the south. This is the plain south of Bagdad. The 

54 



The Eastern Empires 



55 



early inhabitants were Cushites, of the stock of Ham. Ur of 
the Caldees (Mugheir) was the birthplace of Abram. The 
first empire began there, probably in 2800 B. C, and lasted 
till about 538 B. C. Babylon then became the capital. Bor- 
sippa is the ruins of Birs Nimrud, near Babylon, the supposed 
situation of the Tower of Babel. The remains of the stage 
tower seem to have been identified. Nippur, Nifur, is on the 
canal or River Chebar, in the central part of the plain south 
of Babylon. It was the sanctuary of the heathen god, Bel. A 
wonderful library has been brought to light here, some tab- 
lets being as ancient as 2000 B. C. 

Above Babylon lies Mesopotamia, Aram-naharaim, the 
Syria of the Two Rivers. The northern part contains Orfa 
or Edessa and Haran, Abram's city of sojourn on the way to 
Canaan. Mesopotamia is mentioned in the Bible only once 
as a kingdom (Judg. 3:8), for later it was a part of the 
rising kingdom of Assyria. 

The next tier of kingdoms, looking eastward, begins with 
Armenia on the north, a translation of the name Ararat, on 
some mountain peak of which Noah's Ark rested after the 
flood. (Gen. 8 : 4.) Next south comes Assyria, always 
Asshur in the Bible, now the kingdom of Kurdistan, a moun- 
tain range separating it from Armenia on the north. It runs 
half-way down the Tigris on the south. Nineveh, the capital 
of Assyria under Sennacherib (700 B. C), is on the east bank 
of the Tigris, towards the north. Very recently it has been 
unearthed and explored. The wonderful palace of this king 
is being uncovered, supposed to have been the most extensive 
and magnificent in the world. Seventy-one rooms have al- 
ready been explored. Enormous libraries of clay tablet brick 
books have been uncovered, all written in cuneiform or wedge- 
shaped letters on baked clay, containing records of untold 
value both for history and for the corroboration of the Bible. 
The famous library of Asshurbanipal is among them. The 
books are being gradually translated and published. The 
story of the archaeological discoveries in Babylonia, Palestine 
and Egypt reads like tales of entrancing adventure, and will 
well repay farther study by the reader. Calah, the ruins of 
Nimrud, is 18 miles below Nineveh, on the Tigris. It was an 



Students' Historical Geography 



early capital. (Gen. 10 : n.) It was here that the great 
Black Obelisk was found. Dur-sharrukin, where Sargon's 
palace was built, covering more than 25 acres, is 18 miles 
northeast of Nineveh. It is probable that all the four cities 
noted in Genesis 10 : 11, 12 were within the wall surrounding 
Nineveh. Elam or Susiana lies next south, between the 
Zagros Mountains and the Tigris River. Snsa or Shushan 
was its capital, and later on the capital of the Medo-Persian 
empire. The mound that covers it is partly unearthed. The 
palace of Esther has been discovered. (Esther 1.) The most 
important "find" is a cut slab with the law code of Kham- 
murabi, king of Shinar in the time of Abram, many of the 
laws being closely akin to the laws of Moses in the Bible. 

On the east of the Persian Gulf lies Persia, a small land, 
and mostly a barren region. Persipolis, in the center, one of 
its ancient capitals, has splendid ruins, showing it to have 
been a great city once. Persia did not rise into power until 
Babylon fell, 536 B. C. It then ruled over all lands from 
India to Ethiopia and became the greatest of all the empires. 
It was overthrown by Alexander the Great in 330 B. C. Its 
capital then was Susa, Shushan, of which we have learned. 

Still farther east, reaching to the Caspian Sea and beyond, 
lies Media, the old Madai. (Gen. 10 : 2.) The Medes were 
of Aryan or Japhetic descent. The empire of Media arose in 
633 B. C., conquered Assyria, Armenia, and Persia, and be- 
came the Medo-Persian Empire, overcoming the Babylonian 
in 536 B. C., afterwards to be swallowed up by Persia. It is 
part of the kingdom of Persia to-day. The Persians who 
come to America are from the neighborhood of Lake Uru- 
miah, to the east of the Caspian Sea. 

Syria, the Hebrew Aram, used very indefinitely to include 
even Palestine, is in its proper sense applied to that region 
north of Mount Hermon and east of Phoenicia, to the desert 
on the east and Amanus Mountains on the north. The only 
point where it touches the Mediterranean is near the mouth 
of the Orontes. There are three divisions to this land. On 
the north it is an elevated plateau, thinly inhabited. Between 
the Anti-Lebanon and Lebanon Mountains is Coele-Syria or 
Hollow Syria, with the Orontes flowing north in it and the 



LYSTRA 



TARSUS 
Photo by W. H. Rau 




TROAS 
Photo by Riley 



PHILIPPI 
Photo by W. H. Rau 




ATHENS 
General View 
Photo by S. U. Mitman 



ATHENS, MARS HILL 
Photo by S. U. Mitman 



The Eastern Empires 



57 



Litany flowing south. The third section is the eastern level 
Plain of Damascus, of which we have spoken in dealing 
with the zone of Palestine, east of the Jordan. Among the 
important cities not treated before is Carchemish, on the up- 
per Euphrates, the ruins of which are found at Jerablus 
now. It was for centuries the capital of the ancient Hittite 
kingdom. Another is Antioch in Syria, not to be confounded 
with the other Antioch in Pisidia (Asia Minor). S. Paul 
visited both of these towns. 

It was captured by Pharaoh-Necho after the victory at 
Megiddo (608 B. C), but Nebuchadnezzar retook it three 
years later. (2 Chron. 35 : 20 ; Jer. 46 : 2.) Hamath is on 
the Orontes, near the northern limits of Palestine. Its king 
sent presents to David when he defeated the king of Zobah. 
It is mentioned frequently in the Bible. (Look up Num. 
13 : 21 ; 34 : 8; 2 Sam. 8:852 Chron. 8:4:2 Kings 14 : 28; 
18 : 14; 19 : 13.) Tadmor or Palmyra, the City of Palms, 
is in an oasis about 150 miles from Damascus, northeast. 
It is mentioned, too, in the Bible and has now extensive 
ruins remaining. (2 Chron. 8:451 Kings 9 : 18.) Baalbec, See opp. p. 53 
the City of Baal or City of the Sun, the Greek Heliopolis, is 
in Coele-Syria, 35 miles from Damascus. There are wonder- 
ful ruins there to-day, two great temples and other buildings, 
often visited by travelers. Riblah is on the Orontes, 35 miles 
from Baalbec. Pharaoh-Necho and Nebuchadnezzar both had 
headquarters there. Antioch, in Syria, was founded about See opp. p. 53 
300 B. C, and is located towards the mouth of the Orontes. 
It was the capital of Syria for a long period, and the third 
most important city in the Roman empire, coming next to 
Rome and Alexandria. It was here that the disciples were 
first called Christians. It was named Antioch the Beautiful 
and the Crown of the East. It is now a city of some 6,000 
souls. Seleucia, at the mouth of this same river, was the Port 
of Antioch. 

Questions and Manual Work on Chapter XI. 

1. On your creased-paper outline map of the Eastern World, 
color in in crayons or water colors the kingdoms mentioned 
in this chapter. 



58 Students' Historical Geography 

2. Mark in and name the cities and places. 

3. Color the Littlefield Historical Old Testament Maps 
ahead and note which kingdoms in order rose into power 
and waned. 



CHAPTER XII 



THE LANDS OF ST. PAUL'S LABORS. ASIA MINOR, THE 

MEDITERRANEAN, GREECE, ROME 

Asia Minor is the peninsula at the northwest corner of the 
Continent of Asia, jutting out towards Greece between the 
Mediterranean and the Black (Euxine) Seas. It was com- 
posed of some fourteen provinces (ten of which are men- 
tioned in the New Testament), combined under the Roman 
government, politically, into seven. On the north Bithynia 
(Acts 16 : 7 ; i S. Peter i : i), Paphlagonia, and Pontus 
(Acts 2:9; 18 : 2; 1 S. Peter 1:1) formed the Roman 
Province of Bithynia and Pontus. To the west, Mysia 
(Acts 16 : 7, 8), Lydia, Caria and part of Phrygia formed the 
Province of Asia. When Asia is mentioned in the Bible it 
never means the Continent, but this Province. Southeast of 
Asia is Lycia (Acts 27 : 5) ; next comes Pamphylia. (Acts 
13 : 13.) Then the Kingdom of Antiochus, then Cilicia. 
(Acts 6:9.) North of the Kingdom of Antiochus was Cap- 
padocia (Acts 2:9), and in the very center was the large 
Province of Galatia, including Lycaonia. (Acts 14 : 1-23.) 
Excepting Jews and Jewish converts, all the inhabitants of 
this vast region of 156,000 square miles were idolaters, with 
many gods and many religions. Most of the people were 
Greek colonists ; some were Romans, some Jews, and many 
native races. These latter lived chiefly outside of the large 
cities, which were occupied by Greeks, Romans, and Jews. 

Looking at each province in order, we find that S. Paul did 
not enter Bithynia-Pontus at all, though S. Peter in his 
First Epistle sends a greeting to Christians of Bithynia and 
of Pontus. He also does likewise for the Christians of 
Cappadogia, some of whom heard him on the Day of Pente- 
cost at Jerusalem. (Acts 1.) S. Paul did not visit this 

59 



6o Students' Historical Geography 

province either. Galatia, as a province, included Galatia 
proper, a region settled by Gauls about 300 B. C., and South 
Galatia, composed of Lycaonia, Pisidia, and part of Phrygia. 
Ancyra was the capital of the whole province. It is now 
called Angora, and was the source of the Angora goats. 
See opp. p. 53 Antioch was the principal city of South Galatia, to be care- 
fully distinguished from Antioch in. Syria. This one was 
called Antioch towards Pisidia, though it was actually in 
Phrygia. S. Paul visited it, and found a goodly Jewish colony 
settled there. (Acts 13 : 14.) 

Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe are other important cities, all 
of them visited by S. Paul in his several missionary journeys. 
See opp. p. 56 It was at Lystra that the citizens thought S. Paul and S. 

Barnabas were gods and tried to worship them. The uncer- 
tainty of the use of the name "Galatia," whether intending 
to designate simply the northern portion of the Province or 
the whole of it, has given rise to the controversy as to the 
Epistle to the Galatians, written by S. Paul. The general 
view to-day, called the South Galatian View, is that it was 
intended for the Christians of Lystra, Derbe, Iconium, and 
Antioch, and that S. Paul never visited the northern district 
See opp. p. 56 at all. In Cilicia, Tarsus was the principal city, and was 
famous for being the birthplace of S. Paul. In Lycia, Myra, 
the capital, was three miles from the mouth of a river. S. 
Paul stopped there on the last voyage to Rome. (Acts 27 : 
5.) Patara was near the mouth of the River Xanthus, an 
important commercial city, devoted to the worship of Apollo. 
(Acts 21 : 1.) S. Paul also stopped there. Asia was the 
largest of the Provinces of Asia Minor, and the most im- 
See opp. p. 56 portant. In the subdivision, Caria, was the town of Miletus, 
one of the leading Ionian cities. Messengers were sent to 
this town by S. Paul. (Acts 20 : 15-17.) In the Lydia sub- 
See opp. p. 56 division is Ephesus, the capital of the province, and the great- 
est trade center of that region, owing to its fine harbor. 
Here was centered the worship of Diana, the Roman equivalent 
of the Greek Artemis. A rich business in making silver 
shrines of the goddess was carried on in this town. (Acts 
19 : 24.) S. Paul spent much time and wrought great results 
here. Smyrna, forty miles from Ephesus, had as its chief 




CENCHREA 
Photo by W. H. Rau 



MITYLENE 
Photo by W. H. Rau 



ISLAND OF PATMOS 
Photo by Williams, Brown & Earle 



MALTA 

Photo by Williams, Brown & Earle 




SYRACUSE 
Photo by W. H. Rau 



RHEGIUM 
Photo by Williams, Brown & Earle 



The Lands of St. Paid 's Labors 



61 



gods, Nemesis and Dionysus,, the god of wine. Ignatius, 
the Christian Bishop of Smyrna, was thrown to wild beasts 
and met his death as a martyr in the amphitheater here, and 
here also Bishop Polycarp, a disciple of S. John, was burned 
at the stake. Sardis, Philadelphia, and Thyatira are other 
cities of this same district, the former noted for its dyers' 
guilds (Acts 16 : 14) and both mentioned in the letters to 
the Seven Churches in Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3. 

In the Phrygia district are Laodicaea and Colosse, cities 
which S. Paul does not seem to have visited ; but which are 
mentioned in his writings. (See Acts 20 : 17 ; 21 : 1 ; Col. 
4 : 9, 12, 16, 17.) They may have been founded by S. Paul's 
helpers, while he was laboring at Ephesus. Colosse was the 
home of Philemon, Onesimus, and Epaphros. Pergamos, in 
Mysia, is said, at one time, to have been the most beautiful 
city in all Asia Minor. It had a magnificent temple to 
Aphrodite and another to Esculapius. Troas was another See opp. p. 57 
important city of the same district, situated on the Aegean 
Sea. 

We now cross over to Greece. All the places visited by 
S. Paul and his co-workers in this section are included in 
Achaia and Macedonia, provinces of the Roman Empire. 
Achaia was the Roman name for the little land of Greece, 
the ruling state of which was Achaia, from which the name 
was applied to the whole region. Macedonia was the district 
north of Achaia, famous for its mighty kings, Philip of 
Macedon and Alexander the Great. Crossing from Troas, 
in Mysia, S. Paul went first to Philippi (Acts 16 : 12-40), See opp. p. 57 
named after Philip, the father of Alexander. Near it was 
fought the world-battle between Augustus and Antony, and 
Brutus and Cassius, which crushed the hope of a Roman 
republic and began the empire. It was a Roman colony and 
its rulers bore Roman titles. Here Lydia the first European 
convert was baptized, a church was founded, S. Paul and 
Silas were scourged, a jailer was converted to Christianity, 
and much people brought to the Master. (See Acts 16 : 3, 
9-12; 1 Thess. 1 : 7, 8.) It was called the Chief City of 
Macedonia in the Book of Acts. Neapolis was the port of 
Philippi. Amphipolis was 33 miles southwest of Philippi, 



62 



Students' Historical Geography 



three miles from the sea. In S. Paul's time, it had started on 
the wane, having no synagogue and few, if any, Jews. He 
tarried there but a day. (Acts 17 : 1.) Thessalonica was 
the capital of the whole province. It was forty miles from 
Amphipolis. It had a synagogue and many Jews dwelt there. 
S. Paul founded there a Church of Gentiles, and wrote two 
Epistles to them. The people stirred up a riot and expelled 
the Apostles from the city. At the present day, under the 
name Saloniki, it ranks as the second city of European Tur- 
key, with a population of 80,000 persons. (See Acts 17 : 1-9; 
1 Thess. 1 : 7, 8.) Berea (Acts 17 : 10-13), thirty-five miles 
from the preceding, was a small city, selected by S. Paul be- 
cause of its retirement. Its inhabitants accepted the Gospel 
gladly, giving eager attention to its preachment. In fact 
the title Berean has stood as a synonym for faithful Bible 
students ever since. 

See opp. p. 57 In Achaia or Greece, Athens was the most famous city of 
all the world. (Acts 17 : 15-34.) It was situated on a jutting 
promontory on the south, surrounded by noted mountains, and 

See opp. p. 57 itself cut up in the center by four hills ; the Acropolis, sur- 
mounted by the Parthenon ; the Areopagus, where S. Paul 
preached his startling sermon ; the Pnyx ; and the Museum. 
In S. Paul's time, Athens, though not the political center, 
was still the literary focus of the Empire. No church ap- 
pears to have been founded by S. Paul, as the outcome of 
this sermon ; but four centuries later, that very Parthenon 
became a Christian church and the Athenians the most hostile 
foes of image worship. It had been the chief city of images 
and shrines before. All the gods were honored, Apollo, 
Zeus, Bacchus, Mercury, etc., all had temples. On Mars' Hill, 
the Areopagus met, the famous Council or Court, from which 
the hill was named. In the Parthenon, the temple of Pallas, 
was the great statue of ivory and gold made by Phidias. 

See opp. p. 60 Corinth was at the middle of the Grecian Isthmus, with two 
Ports, east and west, Cenchreae and Lechaeum. (Acts 

See opp. p. 60 18 : 1-18.) It was forty miles from Athens. The Isthmus 
is here 10 miles wide. It was the residence of the Proconsul 
and the commercial and political center of Greece. A very 
wicked and licentious city it was, and near it were celebrated 



The Lands of St. Paul's Labors 



the Isthmian games. S. Paul preached in Corinth a year and 

a half, working at his trade of tent-making. Here he wrote 

the two Epistles to the Thessalonians. After he left Corinth, 

he addressed the Corinthians two Epistles. During the wars 

with Rome, Corinth was utterly sacked and destroyed. For 

a century it lay in ruins. Then it was rebuilt and became a 

Roman colony. Xow only a tiny village marks its desolate 

site. Cenchreae (Acts iS : iS ) was the city where S. Paul See opp. p. 60 

cut off his hair in the Levitical vow and established a Church 

(Rom. 16 : 1, 2) and had a deaconess there, named Phebe. 

There are several Islands of importance in Bible history. 
Some are in the Aegean Sea and some in the Mediterranean. 
In the Aegean Sea, we have, beginning at the northern end, 
Samothracia, a small but lofty island; Mitylene or Lesbos, See opp. p. 60 
famous as the home of the Greek poetess, Sappho (Acts 

26 : 14) ; Chios, another island, said to have been the birth- 
place of Homer (Acts 20 : 15) ; Santos, the birthplace of 
Pythagoras, the philosopher (Acts 20 : 15) ; Patmos, twenty See opp. p. 6 
miles south of Samos, was the island of S. John's apocalyptic 

vision recorded in the Book of Revelation. Trogyllium, a 
town or cape on Asia Minor, the anchorage of S. Paul's party, 
still called "S. Paul's Port" (Acts 20 : 15) ; Coos, now called 
Stanchio (Acts 21 : 1) and, in the Mediterranean, Rhodes, 
an island of note, 46 miles long and 18 miles wide, where the 
figure of Colossus stood, 100 feet high, overthrown by an 
earthquake and so prostrate at S. Paul's visit (Acts 21 : 1) ; 
Cyprus, named from its rich copper mines (Greek, Kupros. 
copper \ spoken of in the Old Testament as Chittim (Isa. 
23 : 12), whose favorite goddess was Aphrodite, the birth- 
place of S. Barnabas, governed when S. Paul passed it (Acts 

27 : 4) by a proconsul, ruling over four large cities, Paphos, 
Salamis, Amathus, and Citium; Crete or Candia, at the en- 
trance of the Aegean Sea, an island with an area of 3,300 
square miles, with 100 cities to its credit (Acts 2 : 11), among 
which was Fair Havens, where S. Paul's vessel touched for 
anchorage and temporary safety (Acts 27 : 7-13), (over this 
island, S. Titus ruled as Bishop (Titus 1:5) a little later: 

Malta, the- ancient Mclita, now under British rule, on which See opp. p. 61 
island the vessel was shipwrecked (Acts 28 : 7) and where 



64 



Students' Historical Geography 



the prisoners stayed all winter, setting sail for Rome in the 
spring. 

Italy is our only remaining, untraversed Bible land. 

At its foot was the great island of Sicily. On the last Voyage 
See opp. p. 61 to Rome, S. Paul stopped at Syracuse, on the eastern shore. 
See opp. p. 61 (Acts 28 : 12.) The next important town is Rhegium, at 
the toe of the Italian boot, now the flourishing town of 
Rheggio. (Acts 28 : 13.) Half-way up the Italian coast 
towards Rome is Puteoli, near Naples, one of the lead- 
ing ports of Italy, being to Rome what Liverpool is to Lon- 
don. Here S. Paul found a Christian Church and remained 
See opp. p. 64 a week. The city is now Pozzuoli. At a place, called Appii 
See opp. p. 64 Forum, the Forum of Appius, the Appian Way, 43 miles from 
Rome, and again at Three Taverns, 10 miles on, S. Paul 
stopped, met Christians, and received a welcome. (Acts 
See opp. p. 64 28 : 15.) Rome stands on the river Tiber. In its glory it 
spread over ten hills, though tradition says it was founded 
on seven. Here S. Paul remained in prison. Here some 
See opp. p. 64 years later, he and S. Peter suffered martyrdom. S. Paul 
was imprisoned in his own hired house near the Pretorian 
Camp, while the Jewish Quarter was on the opposite side of 
the City. At this time, Rome had about 1.200.000 inhabitants, 
one-half of whom were slaves, and two-thirds of the rest 
paupers, supported by free food from the rich. In Rome, 
S. Paul wrote the Epistles to the Ephesians, Colossians, 
Philippians, and Philemon. After two years he was released, 
and probably spent two years or more in preaching before his 
final imprisonment and death. 

Questions and Manual Work on Chapter XII. 

1. Draw a map of Asia Minor giving every Province and 
District, i.e. noting those absorbed by the Roman Empire into 
a few provinces. 

2. Locate the cities visited by S. Paul and the events noted 
at each. 

3. Locate the remaining cities of importance not visited 
by S. Paul, using a different color for marking. 

4. Draw a separate map of Greece and locate the cities and 
events. 




POZZUOLI APPIAN WAY 

Photo by W. H. Rau Photo by W. H. Rau 




PALACE OF THE CAESARS COLISEUM 

Rome Copyrighted by Underwood & Underwood 



The Lands of St. Paid 's Labors 



6 5 



5. Take a Bailey Map of Roman World and locate all the 
islands, and make mention of events. 

6. Do the same with Italy. 

7. Take four such maps and from the key maps in the 
Appendix reproduce each of S. Paul's four journeys. 




PHYSICAL MAP OF PALESTINE. 

(By permission of the Palestine Exploration Fund) 

[The original of this map, mounted on rollers, may be obtained of the N. Y. S. S. 
Commission, at $1.25. Postage 10 cts. additional.] 




Copyright, 1893, by The Bible Study Publishing Company. 



R I A N S 




THE EMPIRE OF 
DAVID AND SOLOMON 

1000-937 



SCALE OF MILES 



Thelittlefield O.T. Hislorical Maps 
Copyright ISO, Vy Wra."Walter Smith 
Published foi^t.5T- Sunday School Commieeion. Inc. 



RUNS 




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THE 

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Copyjrjgh* 1911, tj 'Wm^'Walter Smith 
Published foi"S.Yt Sunday Sctool Commission. Inc. 



TIME OF CHRIST 

BASED ON THE MOST 
RECENT SURVEYS. 



Scale of English Miles. 



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INDEX 



A. 

Abana, 44. 
Abel Meholah, 40. 
Abel Shittim, 42. 
Abila, 44. 
Aceldama, 22. 
Adam, 40. 
Admah, 41. 
Adullam, Cave, 8. 
Aelia Capitolina, 25. 
Ai, 19. 

Aijalon, Valley, 8. 
Ain Gadis, 32. 
Ain Jalud, 52. 
Ain Jidy, 24. 
Ain Quadis, 32. 
Akabah, 61. 
Alexandria, 3. 
Amathus, 63. 
Amphipolis, 61. 
Anathoth, 21. 
Ancyra, 60. 
Angora, 60. 

Anti-Lebanon Mountains, 6, 44, 
56. 

Antioch in Pisidia, 60. 

Antioch in Syria, xiv, 57. 

Appian Way, 64. 

Appii Forum, 64. 

Arabah, xiv. 

Arabian Desert, 1, 54. 

Aram, 56. 

Aram-naharaim, 55. 
Argob, 46. 
Ariel, 25. 

Armenian Convent, 25. 
Ashdod, 7. 
Ashkelon, 7. 
Asia Minor, 1, 5. 
Asshur, 55. 
Athens, xiv, 62. 
Awaji, 44. 

B. 

Baalbec, 57. 
Baal-Hazor, 15. 
Baal-Zephon, 4. 
Babylon, xiv, 54. 
Bagdad, 54. 
Banias, 34. 
Barada, 44. 
Beersheba, 8, 32. 
Beitin, 19: 
Berea, 62. 
Besor, Brook, 8. 



Bethany, xiv, 24. 
Bethel, xiv, 12, 19. 
Bethesda, 26. 
Beth-horon, 32. 
Bethlehem, xiv, xv, 31. 
Beth-peor, 49. 
Bethphage, 24. 
Bethsaida Julias, 37. 
Bethsaida of Galilee, 37. 
Beth-Shan, xv, 40, 52, 53. 
Beth-Shemesh, 8. 
Bithynia, 59.. 
Black Sea, 1. 
Blue Nile, 3. 
Books, ix. 
Borsippa, 55. 
Bozrah, 50. 
Brook Besor, 8. 
Brook Cherith, 23. 
Brook Jabbok, 46. 
Brook Jalud, 52. 
Brook Zered, 49. 



C. 

Caesarea, 7. 

Caesarea Philippi, xv, 6, 34. 

Calah, 55. 

Calvary, 29. 

Cana, xv, 10. 

Canaan, 2. 

Candia, 63. 

Capernaum, xv, 10, 37. 
Cappadocia, 59. 
Carchemish, 57. 
Caria, 59. 
Carmel, xx, 6, 13. 
Caspian Sea, 1. 
Cave Adullam, 8. 
Cenchrese, 62, 63. 
Central Mountain Range, 1. 
Chebar, 55. 
Cherith, Brook, 23. 
Chinnereth, Lake, 34. 
Chios, 63. 
Chorazin, 37. 

Church of the Holy Sepulchre, 26. 
Church of St. Anne, 26. 
Church of St. James, 26. 
Cilicia, 59. 
Citium, 63. 

City of Palm Trees, 40. 
Coele Syria, 56. 
Colosse, 61. 
Coos, 63. 



Index 



Corinth, xv. 62. 
Crete, 63. 
Cvprus, 63. 

P. 

Damascus, xv, 44. 
Damieh Ford, 40, 42. 
Dan, 33. 

Dead Sea Region, xv, 35, 42. 

Derbe, 60. 

Desert of Paran, 1. 

Desert of Sin, 3. 

Desert of Zin, 3. 

Dibon, 49. 

District of Jedur, 45. 
District of Hauran, 46. 
Dome of the Rock, 28. 
Dothan, xv, 13. 
Dur-sharrukin, 56. 

E. 

Eastern Mountains in Gilead, 1. 

Eastern Road, 30. 

Ebal, 13. 

Edessa, 55. 

Edom, 49. 

Edrei, 46. 

Egypt, xvi, 1, 3. 5. 

Ekron, 7. 

Elah, 8. 31. 

Elim, 4. 

El Lisan, 42. 

El Khuds esh-Sherif, 25. 

Emmaus, xvi, 31. 

Endor, 9, 53. 

En-gedi, 24. 

En Rogel, 29. 

Ephesus, 60. 

Ephraim, N. T., 19. 

Ephraim, O. T., 12, 47. 

Ephrath, 31. 

Ephron, 19. 

Esdraelon, xvi, 52. 

Etham, 4. 

Euphrates, 1, 54. 

F. 

Fair Havens, 63. 
Farah, 17. 
Field of Blood, 22. 
Fords of the Jordan, 39. 
Fountain of Banias, 34. 
Fountain of Gideon, 52. 
Fountain of Hasbany, 33. 
Fountain of Jezreel, 52. 
Fountain of Siloam, 29. 
Fountain of the Virgin, 29. 



G. 

Gadara, 47. 
Galatia, 59, 60. 
Galilee, xvi, 34, 36. 
Garda, 47. 



Garden of Gethsemane. 22. 

Gath, 7- 

Gaza, xvi, 7. 

Geba, 20. 

Gehenna, 22, 29. 

Gennesaret, 36. 

Gerasa, 48. 

Gergesa, 38. 

Gerizim, xx, 13. 

Gersa, 38. 

Geshur, 45. 

Gethsemane, 22. 

Gezer, 8. 

Ghor, 39. 

Gibeah of Benjamin. 20. 
Gibeon, 20, 32. 
Gideon, 52. 
Gilboa, xx, 9, 13. 
Gilead, 1, 2. 
Gilgal, Samuel, 16, 17. 
Gilgal, Passover, 41, 
Gihon, 25, 29. 
Gomorrah, 41. 
Gophna, 19. 
Goshen, 3. 

Governor's Palace, 26. 
Gulf of Akabah, 1. 
Gulf of Persia, 56. 
Gulf of Suez, i. 



H. 

Hadad Rimmon, 52. 

Hai, 19. 

Hamath. 57. 

Haran, xvi, 55. 

Hasbany, 33. 

Hasbeiya, 33. 

Hauran, District of. 46. 

Hazazon of the Palm, 24. 

Hazazon-tamar, 24. 

Hazor, 10. 

Hebron, xvi, 31. 

Heliopolis, Egypt. 3. 

Heliopolis, Greece, 57. 

Hermon, Mount, xx, 6, 34- 

Hermon, Little, 9, 53. 

Heshbon, 49. 

Hezekiah, 26. 

Hieromax, 46. 

Hill of Evil Counsel, 22. 

Hill of Moreh, 9. 53. 

Hill of Orphel, 28. 

Hinnom, 22, 25. 

Hollow Syria, 56. 

Holy Sepulchre, 25. 

Hor, Mount, xx, 32, 50 

Huleh, 9, 34, 35. 

I. 

Iconium, 60. 
Idumea. 49. 
Italy, xvi, 5. 



Index 



J. 

Jabbok, Brook, xvi, 39, 46. 
Jabesh-Gilead, 47. 
Jacob's Well, 15. 
Jaffa, xvi, 7. 
Jalud, Brook, 52. 
Jarmuk, 46. 
Jaulan, 45. 
Jeba, 20. 

Jebel Jermuk, 10. 
Jebel Musa, 3. 
Jebel Osha, 47. 
Jebus, 25. 
Jebus-shalem, 25. 
Jedur, District of, 45. 
Jehoshaphat, 22, 25. 
eresh, xvii. 

ericho, Modern, xvii, 41. 

ericho, N. T., 40. 
Jericho, O. T., 40. 
Jericho, Plain of, 35. 
Jerusalem, xvii, xviii, xix, 22, 24, 

2 5- . 
Jeru-shalaim, 25. 
Jeshimon, 23. 
Jewish Quarter, 28. 
Jezreel, xix, 52. 
Job's Country, 46. 
Joppa, xvi, 7. 
Jordan Valley, xix. 
Jordan, 1, 33, 39. 
Joseph's Tomb, 15. 
Judah, 23. 



K. 

Kadesh-Barnea, 32. 
Kedar, 54. 
Kedesh, 9. 
Kenath, 46. 
Khersa, 38. 
Kidron, 23. 

Kingdom of the Ammonites, 47. 
Kingdom of Antiochus, 59. 
Kingdom of Geshur, 45. 
Kingdom of Og, 46. 
Kirjath-jearim, 31. 
Kir of Moab, 49. 
Kishon, 6. 
Kurun Hattin, 10. 



L. 

Laish, 34. 

Lake Chinnereth, 34. 
Lake of Galilee, 34. 
Lake Huleh, 9, 34, 35. 
Lake Merom, 9. 
Lake of Tiberias, 34. 
Lake Urumiah,- 56. 
Lake Van, 54. 
Land of Goshen, 3. 
Land of the Hebrews, 2. 



Land of Israel, 2. 

Land of Kedar, 54. 

Land of Moab, 48. 

Land of Promise, 2. 

Land of the Twin Rivers, 

Land of Uz, 46, 54. 

Lantern Slides, xxi. 

Laodicaea, 61. 

Lebanon, xix, 2. 

Lebanon Mountains, 6, 56. 

Lechaeum, 62. 

Lejah, 46. 

Lejjun, 52. 

Leontes River, 6, 9. 

Lesbos, 63. 

Liddan, 33. 

Litany, River, 6. 

Little Hermon, 9, 53. 

Lod, 7. 

Lower Egypt, 3. 
Lower Gihon, 29. 
Lower Ford, 42. 
Lud, 7. 
Lycaonia, 60. 
Lydda, xix, 7. 
Lycia, 59. 
Lydia, 59. 
Lystra, 60. 



M. 

Machaerus, xix. 
Madai, 56. 
Magdala, xix, 36. 
Mahanaim, 47. 
Malta, 63. 
Mamre, 31. 
Manual Work. 
Maps. 
Marah, 4. 
Maritime Plain, 1. 
Mar-Saba, xix. 
Masada, 24. 
Medeba, 49. 
Media, 1. 

Mediterranean Sea, 1. 

Megiddo, 51, 52. 

Mejdel, 37. 

Melita, 63. 

Merom, Lake, 9, 35. 

Mesopotamia, 1, 5, 54. 

Michmash, 19. 

Migdol, 37. 

Miletus, 60. 

Mitylene, 63. 

Mizpah, xix, 21, 32, 48. 

Moab, 42, 48. 

Monastery of Mar Saba, 24. 
Moreh, 9. 51, 53. 
Moriah, 28. 

Mount of Beatitudes, xix, 11 
Mount Carmel, xx, 6, 13. 
Mount Ebal, 13. 
Mount Ephraim, 12. 



Mount Gerizim, xx, 13. 
Mount Gilboa, xx, 13, 53. 
Mount Hermon, xx, 6, 34. 
Mount Hor, xx, 32, 50. 
Mount Jebel Jermuk, 10. 
Mount Lebanon, 2. 
Mount Moriah, 28. 
Mount Moreh, 51. 
Mount Nebo, xx. 
Mount of Olives, 22, 30. 
Mount Pisgah, 47. 
Mount of Samaria, 15. 
Mount Seir, 49. 
Mount Sinai, 3. 
Mount Tabor, xx, 9, 53. 
Mount of Temptation, 31. 
Mount of the Transfiguration 

Christ, 6. 
Mount Zion, 25. 
Mountains of Anti-Lebanon, 

44, 56. 
Mugheir, 55. 
Mukmas, 19. 
Myra, 60. 

N. 

Nablous, 14. 
Nazareth, xx, 10. 
Nain, xx, 10, 53. 
Neapolis, O. T., 14. 
Neapolis, N. T., 61. 
Nebo, xx. 
Negeb, 32. 
Nifur, 55. 
Nile, 1, 3. 
Nimrim Ford, 42. 
Nimrud, 55. 
Nineveh, 55. 
Nippur, 55. 
Nob, 21. 
Nobah, 46. 
Northern Egypt, 3. 
Northern Road, 30. 
Northwestern Road, 32. 



O. 

Og, 46. 
Ophni, 19. 
Orfa, 55- 
Orphel, 28. 
Orphrah, 19. 

P. 

Palace of Herod, 25. 
Palestine, xiv. 1, 2, 5. 
Palmyra, 57. 
Pamphylia, 59. 
Paneas, 34. 
Paphlagonia, 59. 
Paphos, 63. 
Paran, 1, 3. 
Patmos, 63. 



Index 



Pella, 47. 

Peniel, 48. 

Penuel, 48. 

Perea, 47. 

Pergamos, 61. 

Persian Gulf, 1, 56. 

Persipolis, 56. 

Petra, xx, 50. 

Pharpar, 44. 

Philadelphia, 48, 61. 

Philippi, 61. 

Phrygia, 59, 60. 

Pictures, xiii-xxi. 

Pihahiroth, 4. 

Pisgah, 47. 

Pisidia, 60. 
of Plain of Abel Shittim, 42. 

Plain of Esdraelon, 52. 

Plain of Gennesaret, 36. 
6, Plain of Jericho, 35. 

Plain of Mamre, 31. 

Plain of Moab, 42. 

Plain of Rephaim, 30. 

Plain of Sharon, 7. 

Pontus, 59. 

Pool of Bethesda, 26. 

Pool of Gibeon, 20. 

Pool of Hezekiah, 26. 

Pool of Samaria, 16. 

Pool of Siloam, 29. 

Potter's Field, 22. 

Pozzuoli, 64. 

Ptolemais, 7. 

Puteoli, 64. 

R. 

Rabbath-Ammon, 48. 
Rachel's Tomb, 31. 
Ramah, xx. 

Ramah of Benjamin, 20. 

Rameses, 4. 

Ramleh, xx. 

Ramoth-Gilead, 48. 

Ras es Sufsafeh, 4. 

Reference Books, ix. 

Region of the Dead Sea, xv. 

Rephaim, 30. 

Rephidim, 4. 

Rheggio, 64. 

Rhegium, 64. 

Rhodes, 63. 

River Abana, 44. 

River Awaji, 44. 

River Barada, 44. 

River Chebar, 55. 

River Euphrates, t, 54. 

River Farah, 17. 

River Jabbok, 39. 

River Jordan, 1, 33. 

River Kishon, 6. 

River Litany, 6. 

River Nile, 1. 

River Pharpar, 44. 



Index 



Riblah, 57. 

River Tigris, i, 5, 54. 
River Xanthus, 60. 
River Yarmuk, 39. 
Robinson's Arch, 28. 
Rock Rimmon, 19. 
Roman Empire, 1. 
Rome, xx, xxi, 64. 
Royal Quarries, 27. 



Salamis, 63. 

Salem, 25. 

Saloniki, 62. 

Samaria, Hill of, 15. 

Samaria, Modern, xxi, 13. 

Samaria, N. T., 12. 

Samaria, O. T., 12. 

Samaria, Pool of, 16. 

Samos, 63. 

Samothracia, 63. 

Sardis, 61. 

Scythopolis, 52. 

Sea of Galilee, 36. 

Sebaste, 16. 

Seilun, 16. 

Seir, 49. 

Selah, 50. 

Seleucia, 57. 

Sharon, 7. 

Shechem, xxi, 13. 

Shephelah, 8. 

Shiloh, xxi, 16. 

Shinar, 54. 

Shunem, 10, 52. 

Shur, 3. 

Shushan, 56. 

Sidon, xxi, 6. 

Siloam, 29. 

Sin, 3. 

Sinai, 3. 

Sinai Peninsula, 1, 3. 
Six Zones, 5. 
Slides, xxi. 
Sodom, 41. 
Sorek, 8. 

Southern Desert, 2. 

Southen Egypt, 3. 

Southern Road, 30. 

South Galatia, 60. 

Southwestern Road, 31. 

Spring of Gideon, 52. 

Stanchio, 63. 

St. Paul's Port, 63. 

St. Stephen's Gate, 26. 

Stereopticon Slides, xxi. 

Succoth, 4, 40. 

Suez, 1. 

Suf, 48. 

Supplies, ix. 

Susa, 56. 

Sychar, 14. 

Syracuse, 64. 

Syria, r, 55. 



Taanach, 52. 

Tabor, xx, 9, 53. 

Tadnor, 57. 

Tarsus, 60. 

Tekoa, 24. 

Thebes, 3. 

The Holy City, 25. 

The Holy Land, 2. 

Thessalonica, xxi, 62. 

Three Taverns, 64. 

Threshing Floor of Araunah. 28. 

Thyatira, 61. 

Tiberias, xxi, 34, 36. 

Tigris, 1, 5, 54. 

Timnath, 8. 

Tirzah, 15. 

Tophet. 22, 29. 

Trachonitis, 46. 

Troas, 61. 

Trogyllium, 63. 

Twin Rivers, 54. 

Tyre, xxi, 6. 

Tyropoeon, 25. 

U. 

Um-Keis, 47. 
Upper Egypt, 3. 
Upper Gihon, 29. 
Ur of Chaldees, 55. 
Urumiah, 56. 
Uz, 46, 54. 

V. 

Vale of Hebron, 31. 
Valley of Aijalon, 8. 
Valley of Dothan, 13. 
Valley of Elah, 8, 31. 
Valley of Gihon, 25. 
Valley of Hinnom, 22, 25. 
Valley of Tehoshaphat, 22, 25. 
Valley of Jezreel, 52. 
Valley of the Jordan, 39. 
Valley of Megiddo, 51. 
Valley of Shechem, 13. 
Valley of the Sorek, 8. 
Van, 54. 

Via Dolorosa, 26. 
Village of Siloam, 29. 

W. 

Wailing Place of the Tews, 28. 
Watch-tower, 37. 
Waters of Merom, 34, 35. 
Western Road, 31. 
White Nile, 3. 
"Wilderness of Judah, 23. 
Wilderness of Mount Sinai, 3. 
Wilderness of Paran, 3. 
Wilderness of Shur, 3. 
Wilderness of Sin, 3. 
Wilderness of Zin, 3. 
Wood of Ephraim, 47. 



Index 



X. Zaretan, 40. 

Xanthus, 60. Zeboim, 41. 

Zered, Brook, 
Zerin, 15, 52. 
Zin, 3. 
Zion, 25. 
Ziz, 24. 

Z. Zoar, 41. 

Zor, 39. 

Zagros "Mountains, 1, 56. Zorah, 8. 



Y. 

Yarmuk, 39. 



NM 24 



LIBRARY OFgNGg 3 

019 568 805 9 



